Scientists predict that the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano located 300 miles off the Oregon coast, may erupt later this year, but it poses no threat to land or seismic stability.
The Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano situated over 4,900 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean and approximately 300 miles off the Oregon coast, is exhibiting signs that it could erupt for the first time since 2015. Experts from the University of Washington’s College of the Environment have noted these developments in a recent blog post.
The volcano is formed by a geological phenomenon known as a hot spot, where molten material from the Earth’s mantle rises into the crust. As tectonic plates move over this stationary hot spot, chains of volcanoes are created over time. Maya Tolstoy, a marine geophysicist and dean of the university’s College of the Environment, emphasized the significance of these processes, stating, “Over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface was formed by volcanic eruptions at these mid-ocean ridges. Axial Seamount is a direct result of these fundamental processes that continue to shape our planet today.”
Despite the impending eruption, scientists have reassured the public that it poses no danger to coastal communities. “Axial Seamount is much too deep and far from shore for people on land to even notice when it erupts,” the blog post explains. Furthermore, it clarifies that the eruption will not be linked to seismic activity on land, alleviating concerns among Pacific Northwesterners about potential earthquakes or tsunamis triggered by the event.
The initial indication of an impending eruption will be a marked increase in seismic activity around the volcano. Deborah Kelley, a professor at the UW School of Oceanography and director of the Regional Cabled Array, noted, “The volcano has already surpassed the inflation we observed in 2015, but the earthquake activity is still quite low.” Currently, the area is experiencing between 200 to 300 earthquakes per day, with occasional spikes reaching around 1,000 daily due to tidal influences. Kelley anticipates that if patterns from 2015 hold true, the number of daily earthquakes could exceed 2,000 for several months leading up to the eruption.
These earthquakes are indicative of magma moving toward the surface. William Wilcock, another professor at the UW School of Oceanography, explained the eruption process: “That period lasts about an hour, and then the magma reaches the surface.” He further described how lava flows would spread across the caldera, with fissures opening up to the north or south, potentially extending as far as 40 kilometers (approximately 25 miles).
Following the initial eruption, seismic activity is expected to decrease rapidly over the next few days, although the eruption itself may continue at a slower pace for about a month.
As scientists continue to monitor the situation, they remain confident that the Axial Seamount’s potential eruption will not have any adverse effects on the nearby coastal regions, according to Source Name.