All about Axial Seamount, the underwater volcano that's shaking with 1,000 tiny tremors every day and could erupt soon

An underwater volcano off the Oregon coast in the US is showing strong signs that it may erupt soon. Known as the Axial Seamount, this submarine shield volcano lies nearly a mile beneath the Pacific Ocean’s surface and about 300 miles offshore, along the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

The Axial Seamount has erupted several times in the past, with its most recent events taking place in 1998, 2011, and 2015. Scientists now believe it could erupt again before the end of 2025. The seafloor around the volcano has begun to swell, a signal that was also observed before the 2015 eruption. In addition, the area is experiencing a surge in seismic activity, with more than a thousand small earthquakes recorded each day. According to Forbes, these warning signs suggest that “something big could be brewing under the sea.”

Monitoring the Axial Seamount is possible thanks to the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s Regional Cabled Array, a high-tech network that provides real-time data, video, and high-resolution imagery. Researchers consider it the most closely observed patch of seafloor in the world.


Although the volcano may erupt soon, experts say the eruption poses little risk to people on land. Its underwater location means there is no danger of a tsunami or earthquake being triggered.

Still, the eruption is of great scientific importance. Studying volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges could improve forecasts for eruptions of land-based volcanoes, which pose much greater risks to human life. Researchers are also interested in how hydrothermal vent ecosystems recover after being buried by lava. This work could provide insights into deep-sea mining and help make such operations more cost-effective in the future.