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White Island Volcano - John Seach
Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
37.52 S, 177.78 E
summit elevation 321 m
stratovolcano
White Island is currently the most active volcano in New Zealand. It is located 48 km offshore in the Bay of Plenty at the northeastern extremity of Taupo Volcanic Zone. White Island is unusual because its active subaerial vent is located below sea level.
The island consists of an older eroded western cone, and a younger central cone that forms most of the island. The volcano rises 700 m from the sea floor.
The volcano has a history of frequent small phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions,
interrupting long intervals of continuous intense, fumarolic and hydrothermal activity. Historically active vents are located in the western subcrater and the western half of the central subcrater. Fumaroles and hot springs discharge on the floor of the main crater, and represent the subaerial expression of a long-lived acidic hydrothermal system related to the deeper magmatic system of the volcano.
The floor of the main crater is covered by a debris avalanche deposit, with a hummocky topography which formed by crater wall collapse in
September 1914, blocking a long-established vent system in the western subcrater.
Gases are continually emitted from the craters and fumaroles on White Island and pose a hazard to visitors to the volcano. Sulphur mining occurred at the island until 1914 when a crater collapse created a lahar which killed 10 workers.
1976-1982 Eruptions
The eruption sequence was the longest and largest historical event at the volcano. The eruptions consisted of seven phases of alternating phreatomagmatic and Strombolian explosions.
2008 update
White Island's Crater Lake has continued to rise since December 2007, after being almost completely evaporated in late October 2007. By 23rd October 2008 the lake had risen by 15 m. New springs formed on the floor and old springs flowed again. Steam, gas, and mud emissions increased from the largest vent during October 2008.
White Island Volcano Eruptions
2001, 1998-2000, 1998, 1995, 1986-94, 1983-84, 1976-82, 1974, 1971, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1968-69, 1966-67, 1962, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1955, 1947, 1933, 1930, 1928, 1926, 1924, 1922, 1909, 1908?, 1886?,1886, 1885?, 1885, 1856?, 1836, 1826.