Underwater Megavolcano Set to Release Millions of Tons of Lava, Experts Warn
A massive underwater volcano located approximately 300 miles off the coast of Oregon is on the verge of erupting, scientists say, and for the first time, the p ublic can witness it live . Researchers from Oregon State University have been closely monitoring the site, which is situated on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, a geologically active region off the Pacific Northwest. The volcano is considered the most active in the area, and data indicates that its magma chamber is inflating rapidly , a phenomenon likened to a balloon filling before it bursts.
Warning Signs Mirror the 2015 Eruption
In 2015, Axial Seamount erupted with dramatic force, triggering nearly 8,000 undersea earthquakes , releasing lava flows hundreds of feet thick, and causing the seafloor to collapse by about eight feet . That event marked a turning point in how scientists observe underwater volcanic activity , thanks to an array of new instruments including pressure sensors and high-definition video cameras installed through the Ocean Observations Initiative.
Geophysicist William Chadwick, a volcanologist at Oregon State University, noted that the volcano is now “ at or almost at that inflation threshold ” observed prior to the 2015 eruption. He added, “We think it’s ready.” Satellite and sensor data show that the seafloor above Axial has swollen to nearly the same level as it did just before that previous eruption.
A Rare View of Deep-sea Volcanic Activity
To capture the unfolding events, scientists have installed a live camera feed near the summit of the volcano, providing daily livestreams through the Interactive Oceans website . The video focuses on a 14-foot-tall hydrothermal structure known as “ Mushroom ,” located in the ASHES vent field on Axial’s western flank.
This vent sits atop an ancient lava flow and is surrounded by white bacterial mats and tube worms—clear signs of hydrothermal activity and warm fluids seeping through the cracks in the basalt.
Chadwick described Axial Seamount’s behavior as similar to volcanoes in Hawaii , characterized by the gradual buildup of pressure between eruptions. “They tend to inflate like a balloon in between eruptions,” he explained. “At Axial, the seafloor is actually rising, and that’s a big signal.”
Increased Seismic Activity Signals Growing Pressure
Recent weeks have seen a significant uptick in seismic activity beneath the volcano, suggesting that magma is pressing upward with increasing intensity. The frequency of underwater earthquakes, currently at several hundred per day, is expected to surge to as many as 10,000 within 24 hours once the eruption begins.
Chadwick and his team first noticed these shifts in November 2024, when the rate of seafloor swelling began to accelerate again after slowing for several years. A 2024 study described the volcano as having “ suddenly woken up ,” marked by rapid changes in both its shape and internal pressure dynamics.
If an eruption does occur, it is expected to release over a billion cubic feet of highly fluid lava , which scientists estimate would weigh millions of tons. Some lava flows could reach heights comparable to Seattle’s Space Needle.
No Threat to Humans, but a Breakthrough for Science
Despite its immense scale, an eruption from Axial Seamount poses no threat to coastal communities . Experts emphasize that its location far offshore and deep beneath the ocean renders it harmless to humans and without consequence for land-based seismic activity.
More significantly, this event offers a unique opportunity for scientists to study a submarine eruption in near-real time. Today, Axial is regarded by researchers as “the best-monitored submarine volcano in the world,” providing valuable insights into how underwater eruptions behave and evolve.
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