PACIFIC OCEAN — An enormous floating raft of volcanic rocks is drifting along the Pacific Ocean towards Australia, where it could help with the recovery of the Great Barrier Reef's corals.
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, an underwater volcano near Tonga is believed to have erupted on August 7, spewing out pumice stones of different sizes.
The BBC reports that over a trillion pieces of pumice are floating together on the Pacific Ocean, stretched out over 150 square kilometers.
According to CNN, the pumice raft is roughly the size of Manhattan.
Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor Scott Bryan told the BBC that the pumice is currently drifting west toward Fiji. It will likely pass New Caledonia and Vanuatu and possibly reach Australia in about a year.
According to CNN, the pumice will bring with it microorganisms and other marine life as it drifts across the ocean. This could potentially bring in diverse colonies of corals or barnacles that could help restock the damaged Great Barrier Reef.
Experts say pumice fields are one way the ocean can redistribute sea life. They aren't uncommon, and are typically spotted every five years or so.
