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Ambitle Volcano | Dr John Seach
Last updated: January 2026
Feni Islands, New Ireland Province,
Papua New Guinea
4.08 S, 153.65 E
summit elevation 450 m
Stratovolcano (caldera)
Ambitle is a diamond-shaped volcanic island (16 x 13 km) in the Feni Islands group, 50 km off the southeast coast of New Ireland. The volcano features a summit caldera with breaches to the west, where intense hydrothermal activity occurs along the coast and within the caldera. Onshore features include hot springs (67-100 deg C), mud pools, and fumaroles; submarine venting is prominent in Waramung Bay.
Warning: Ambitle exhibits persistent high-temperature geothermal activity with acidic fluids and significant arsenic release into coastal waters. Hazards include sudden phreatic explosions, toxic gas emissions, scalding fluids, and ground instability in hydrothermal areas. Submarine vents pose risks to marine life and divers despite apparent ecological tolerance.
Geology and Volcanology
Ambitle is a basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano with a breached summit caldera. Hydrothermal manifestations are concentrated along the western caldera wall and coast, with high-temperature springs (pH 1.9-9.1) and shallow submarine vents discharging notable arsenic. The system reflects an active magmatic heat source at depth. Due to its remote location, monitoring relies on occasional visits and satellite data from the Rabaul Volcano Observatory.
Current Activity (January 2026)
Ambitle continues to show vigorous hydrothermal activity with hot springs, fumaroles, mud pools, and submarine gas/fluid venting in Waramung Bay. Temperatures remain 67-100 deg C with ongoing arsenic discharge. No eruptive activity has been recorded in historical times. Satellite observations detect no thermal anomalies suggestive of magmatic unrest.
Eruption History
A single confirmed explosive eruption occurred from the eastern caldera around 350 BC (± 100 years), based on radiocarbon dating. No historical eruptions are known.
Further reading
Lindley, I.D., 2015. Late Quaternary geology of Ambitle Volcano, Feni Island Group, Papua New Guinea. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 62(5), pp.529-545.
Pichler, T. and Dix, G.R., 1996. Hydrothermal venting within a coral reef ecosystem, Ambitle Island, Papua New Guinea. Geology, 24(5), pp.435-438.
Ambitle Volcano Eruptions
~350 BC ± 100 years
No historical eruptions