An Underwater Volcano Near The US Coast May Erupt Soon — but Should You Be Worried?

Underwater volcanoes, also popularly known as submarine volcanoes, are powerful geological formations hidden under the ocean’s surface. They play a vital role in Earth’s geological processes, and remain one of the planet's most fascinating natural forces. Recently, scientists have confirmed that an underwater volcano, Axial Seamount, located 300 miles off the coast of Oregon and almost 5,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, is expected to erupt in 2025. While researchers might get a rare opportunity to study Earth’s geological forces when the eruption happens, coastal communities remain alert to any possible risks.

However, as reported by the University of Washington, Axial Seamount is too far from the shore, so the nearby communities might not even notice it when the volcanic eruption occurs. A professor at the University of Washington's School of Oceanography, Deborah Kelley, said, “Three quarters of all of the volcanic activity on Earth takes place at mid-ocean spreading centers. But people have never directly witnessed an eruption along this mountain chain, so we still have a lot of unanswered questions.” There is also no threat of earthquake or tsunami. Scientists are closely watching this volcano through an extensive system of sensors, cameras, and other instruments.

This makes it one of the most carefully monitored places under the ocean. Rika Anderson from the Biology department of Carleton College also said, “They [researchers] have laid down miles and miles of fiber optic cable that are connected from Newport, Oregon, all the way out to Axial Seamount." As reported by IFL Science, she added, "On that fiber optic cable, there are a whole bunch of deep-sea instruments that people have put on the sea floor to continuously monitor all kinds of things." The expert further claimed, "I don't know of any other place, especially under the ocean, where we have such close monitoring going on."

On a darker side, deep-sea mining firms are eyeing the ocean floor as a new source of lithium and other metals for renewable energy, raising concerns about the future health of the fragile seabed ecosystems. Meanwhile, the upcoming eruption was signaled by a sudden swarm of earthquakes in the nearby areas, as rising magma pushes its way upward through the Earth’s crust. Another professor from the UW School of Oceanography, William Wilcock, spoke about this and said, "The seismic activity dies down pretty quickly over the next few days, but the eruption will continue slowly for about a month.”

Axial Seamount is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the region and has a recent history of activity, with eruptions recorded in 2015, as well as earlier events in 2011 and 1998. This region accounts for about 69% of global eruptions since 1960, as reported by Forbes. This volcano is also unique as it sits on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, where the Pacific and Juan de Fuca plates pull apart to create new ocean crust. Wilcock said, “It’s pretty unusual. It’s a genuine hotspot, and the volcano itself is quite large, rising about 3600 feet above the seafloor."

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