Another island has emerged from the Ring of Fire, this time off Japan's Ogasawara Islands, known as the Bonin Islands. This new landmass in the Pacific Ocean is the youngest in the area, resulting from an ongoing undersea volcanic eruption that began on October 21st.
An undersea volcano is seen erupting off the coast of Tonga, sending plumes of steam, ash and smoke up to 100 metres into the air, on March 18, 2009 off the coast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga.
Emergence of New Isle Off the Japanese Coast
Volcanologist Setsuya Nakada from the University of Tokyo described the formation process of a new isle resulting from an underwater volcanic eruption. The eruption began with a "vertical jet" of solidified magma shooting high above the waves, followed by sustained bursts.
As the debris, including lava and pumice, fell back into the ocean, a mound of rock gradually emerged above the water's surface, akin to a periscope.
The new isle formed off the coast of Iwo Jima, part of the Ogasawara Islands, is about 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo. It primarily comprises rock masses formed north of the eruption site and holds potential for growth if volcanic activity persists, according to the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo.
Professor Nakada highlighted the ongoing underwater magma eruptions, known as phreatomagmatic eruptions, around Iwo Jima. After an eruption on October 30, the accumulated solidified magma began breaking the surface, leading to the formation of the new isle. Nakada observed a change in the eruption on November 3, with explosive volcanic ash emissions.
Despite the isle's susceptibility to erosion, Nakada suggested that ongoing volcanic activity could protect it. The lava flow, if continuous, would safeguard the isle, increasing its chances of permanence. Nakada noted uncertainty regarding the eruption's continuation but drew parallels with a 2013 event where a new island merged with Nishinoshima in the Ogasawara chain.
The possibility of the new isle merging with Iwo Jima exists if the eruption persists, Nakada speculated. Situated within sight of Iwo Jima, the new landmass lies just over a kilometer off the coast. As of Friday, the pumice rock, although not rising far above the water line, stretched approximately two kilometers in diameter.
Only those stationed at a Japanese Self-Defense Force base on Iwo Jima can currently witness the ongoing eruption, which seems to have reached its peak and is gradually calming down.
READ ALSO: Underwater Volcano Eruption: Is it More Dangerous Than Volcano Activity on Land?
Submarine Volcanoes: A Month-Long Spectacle and a Window into Earth's Depths
Submarine volcanic eruptions in this area usually last for around a month, Nakada explains. Despite the extensive knowledge of active land-based volcanoes along the Ring of Fire, our current understanding of vents and fissures on the ocean floor is comparatively limited.
Globally, scientists estimate there are over a million submarine volcanoes, but many might be inactive, and even the active ones often lie too deep for convenient above-water observation. An illustrative example is the notable eruption in Japan in 1924, resulting from an undersea event, the location of which was deduced much later.
Only in recent decades have scientists had the opportunity to witness submarine volcanoes in action, and the formation of islands from these eruptions offers a rare chance to gain insights into the geological processes that shaped islands in the Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands, millions of years ago.
In 2015, a new island emerged in the South Pacific, presenting a captivating living experiment for geologists, volcanologists, biologists, and ecologists to study. However, by 2022, the island had vanished due to another eruption, underscoring the transient nature of such formations.
The duration of the newly formed Japanese island's existence remains uncertain. Nakada speculates that it could potentially merge with Iwo Jima if the eruption persists, emphasizing the unpredictable and dynamic nature of these volcanic events.
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