Underwater Volcano Off Oregon Coast Could Erupt In 2025, Researchers Say

A deep-sea volcano hundreds of miles off the Oregon coast is showing signs of an impending eruption, according to scientists who have been studying its behavior for years. The Axial Seamount, considered the most active submarine volcano in the northeast Pacific, has followed a cycle of eruptions, and researchers say it is approaching its next one.

This volcano, which erupted in 1998, 2011, and 2015, has displayed a repeated pattern of magma buildup and release. Scientists tracking its activity have observed that molten rock is once again accumulating beneath its surface, a process that has historically signaled an approaching eruption.

William Chadwick, a research associate at Oregon State University, has closely followed Axial Seamount’s activity. “It seems to have this pretty repeatable pattern from one eruption to the next,” he said. Using a network of seafloor sensors and monitoring equipment, researchers receive real-time updates on volcanic activity, making it one of the best-studied submarine volcanoes in the world.

Even if the volcano erupts, scientists say there is no risk to human life or coastal areas. The eruption would occur nearly a mile below the ocean’s surface, making it undetectable from above water. “When Axial Seamount erupts, it’ll look a lot like a Hawaiian lava flow eruption,” said Mike Poland of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

Axial Seamount is classified as a shield volcano, meaning it releases slow-moving lava rather than producing explosive eruptions. Researchers studying its activity use the site to refine volcanic forecasting techniques, hoping to improve predictions for more hazardous eruptions on land.

An expedition in June 2024 deployed remotely operated vehicles to collect additional data from the site. Scientists hope that ongoing research at Axial Seamount will contribute to a better understanding of how volcanic eruptions can be predicted more accurately in the future.

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