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Axial Seamount, the most active underwater volcano on the Pacific coast, is approaching a new eruption after nearly a decade of calm. Located 480 kilometers off the coast of Oregon, the volcano is nearly 1,100 meters high.
It is already showing pressure signs similar to those before its last eruption, in 2015. Scientists from Oregon State University and the University of Washington are monitoring the phenomenon in real time using a network of underwater sensors.
According to its latest records, the volcano’s inflation process has already surpassed the threshold that preceded the previous eruption. Daily seismic activity, however, remains low.
Why is the region’s most active volcano expected to erupt?
The volcano is undergoing an inflation process: magma is accumulating beneath the surface and slowly raising the seafloor. That same mechanism preceded the eruptions of 1998, 2011, and 2015.
According to official monitoring data, the ground has already fully recovered the inflation level seen before the last eruption. However, the pace of that inflation has slowed in recent weeks, and scientists clarify that the eruption is not yet imminent.
To confirm how near the phenomenon is, specialists are closely watching these variables:
Signals scientists are monitoring
- Inflation level of the seafloor
- Number of earthquakes recorded per day
- Changes in activity linked to tides
- Comparison with patterns from previous eruptions
What impact would the eruption have on the Pacific coast?
Despite its magnitude, the eruption poses no risk to people or coastal cities. The volcano is more than 1,490 meters deep.
It is also unrelated to seismic activity on land, so it could not trigger an earthquake or a tsunami in the region.
The greatest impact would be on the underwater ecosystem: lava can completely cover the hydrothermal vents where tubeworms, crabs, and unique microorganisms live. According to records from previous eruptions, that marine life usually recolonizes the area in just a few months.