New Volcanic Island Forms Off Japan, But May Not Last Long
A new island has emerged off the southern coast of Japan following an undersea volcanic eruption. However, experts say the fledgling landmass could soon disappear.
The volcanic activity began on October 21st about half a mile offshore from Iwo Jima, an Japanese island formally called Ioto. An unnamed submarine volcano at the site produced an eruption that continued for over a week.
As volcanic ash and rock rapidly piled up on the shallow seafloor, the materials eventually breached the water’s surface. Within 10 days, a new island around 100 meters wide had formed.
By early November, Japan’s meteorological agency estimated the island rose to about 20 meters tall with a diameter still around 100 meters. Steam and plumes of volcanic gas were observed drifting from the neon green island, clearly marking its new growth.
While the birth of new terrain from undersea volcanoes is a rare event that draws attention, experts say it may be short-lived. Eruptions that build up islands like this tend to be temporary.
Wave erosion rapidly chips away at the initially soft volcanic materials. Unless fresh eruptions occur to rebuild the land, it often disappears within months. Previous new islands, like one that initially formed offshore from Iwo Jima in 2013 and grew to about 50 meters wide, later sank below the waves.
Officials are observing the island closely but say it poses minimal hazard since the volcano lies over a mile away from the coastline. Its temporary emergence highlights the dynamic changes constantly reshaping the Earth beneath the seas. But the newly formed island could vanish as quickly as it appeared.
