Axial Seamount

Axial Seamount Latest News

Scientists are currently on high alert while observing the Axial Seamount volcano, which is set to erupt for the first time in a decade.

About Axial Seamount

• It is an underwater volcano located about 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, United States in the Pacific Ocean.
• It is a shield volcano with a summit marked by a large caldera.
• It rises to a depth of 1400 m below sea level.
• It is formed by a hot spot, an area in the Earth's mantle where hot plumes of molten material rise into the crust. 
• It is located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, the boundary between the Pacific and Juan de Fuca tectonic plates.
• The volcano is home to hydrothermal vents, underwater hot springs where seawater is heated by magma and ejected in mineral-rich plumes. 
• These vents support diverse marine life, including microbes that use volcanic gases for energy, forming the basis of an ecosystem that includes giant tubeworms, spider crabs, clams, fish and octopuses.
• It is the most active submarine volcano in the northeast Pacific, with known eruptions in 1998, 2011, and 2015. 
• While Axial Seamount's eruptions are not dangerous to people on land, they offer valuable opportunities for scientific observation.
• It is part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and hosts the world’s first underwater volcanic observatory called NeMO.

Axial Seamount FAQs

Q1. Where is Axial Seamount located?

Ans. Approximately 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, USA.

Q2. What geological feature is Axial Seamount associated with?

Ans. Juan de Fuca Ridge

Q3. Is Axial Seamount still active?

Ans. It is the most active submarine volcano in the northeast Pacific.

Source: INDY100