A growing underwater volcano off the coast of Oregon is on track to erupt soon, possibly as early as this year, with scientists closely monitoring its activity. The Axial Seamount, a shield volcano about 300 miles from the coast, has been showing signs of increased tremors and swelling, indicating it’s reaching a critical threshold for eruption.
While the risk to nearby human populations is low, underwater volcanic activity can still cause powerful tsunamis. The last eruption occurred just 10 years ago, but this one’s predictable nature makes it an attractive target for geophysics researchers. Scientists are using new technologies, such as full waveform inversion, to accurately map the volcano’s internal structure.
Analysis of the data suggests that the main magma chamber is nearly saturated with magma, and several channels are feeding it. If the eruption occurs in 2025, scientists will collect valuable data that could advance our understanding of volcanoes and plate tectonics. The Axial Seamount is currently the most well-instrumented underwater volcano in the world, making it an ideal target for study.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/underwater-volcano-could-erupt-near-212251338.html