The Earth remains a place full of mysteries. Despite advances in technology and science, nature is still capable of surprising us. NASA’s recent findings in the Caspian Sea have stunned geologists and astronomers alike.
On this occasion, the spotlight falls on an island that appeared suddenly after the eruption of a mud volcano and that, as quickly as it emerged, vanished. This phenomenon, known as the ‘ghost island’, shows how unpredictable geological processes are.
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What is the origin of the mysterious ‘ghost island’ in the Caspian Sea?
The story begins in 2023, when Kumani Bank mud volcanolocated 25 kilometers from the east coast of Azerbaijan, erupted. The explosion expelled mud, gases and sediment to the surface, creating an island about 400 meters in diameter, known as Chigil-Deniz.
He phenomenon was detected by NASA’s Landsat 8 and 9 satellites. These devices, equipped with advanced imaging systems, allowed us to observe how the underwater bank of the volcano began to emerge. By February 14, 2023, A mass of land was already visible, accompanied by a plume of sediment in the water..
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Although initially appearing stable, the island began to erode rapidly. According to satellite images taken between 2023 and the end of 2024, The island lost a large part of its surface. This showed that like other previous Kumani Bank formations, this one too was destined to disappear.
It is not the first time that something similar has happened in this region, since it has a history of similar phenomena. Since 1861, at least eight eruptions have been recorded on the Kumani Bank, each generating transient islands. Some have lasted for months, while others have persisted for several years before being destroyed by the action of the waves and marine currents of the Caspian Sea.
Mud volcanoes, a fascinating and dangerous phenomenon
Mud volcanoes are a unique and little-known geological phenomenon. They usually form in regions with active tectonics, such as Azerbaijan, which has more than 300 volcanoes of this type. These volcanoes expel mud and flammable gases such as methane, sometimes generating spectacles of flames visible from great distances.
In the case of Kumani Bank, it is not yet known whether the 2023 eruption produced flames, although previous ones did. These eruptions are difficult to predict, since they depend on multiple factors such as seismic activity, gas emissions and soil deformation.
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NASA will continue to monitor this area through its satellites. Although the fate of the ‘ghost island’ is already sealed, its appearance offers valuable information about geological processes.
The mystery of these temporary islands reflects the force of nature, and also the need to continue exploring and studying our planet. In places like the Caspian Sea, some of the Earth’s secrets are yet to be discovered.
