Roughly 300 miles off Oregon’s coastline, scientists are keeping a close watch on a restless giant. The Axial Seamount, a submarine volcano sitting deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, has begun exhibiting the classic signs of volcanic unrest. Though the prospect of an eruption may sound alarming, volcanologists emphasize that there is no threat to the public at this time.
Located along the Juan de Fuca Ridge, the Axial Seamount lies about 4,600 feet beneath the ocean’s surface and is considered the most active underwater volcano in the northeastern Pacific. This particular geological feature has erupted three times over the past three decades — in 1998, 2011, and 2015 — and scientists suggest a new eruption could occur before the end of the year.
Recent monitoring data has revealed an alarming uptick in seismic activity, with over 1,000 small earthquakes recorded per day in the area. This high level of seismic unrest, coupled with measurable swelling of the seafloor — a phenomenon known as “inflation” — is being caused by accumulating magma beneath the volcanic structure. According to experts, these are clear indications that the Axial Seamount is recharging and may soon erupt.
Volcanologists and research professors at Oregon State University who have studied Axial Seamount for decades consider the current activity to be significant but consistent with the volcano’s historical behavior. Past patterns of increased earthquakes and seafloor inflation have typically preceded eruptions by a matter of months, and current signals are reportedly as strong—if not stronger—than those observed in previous events.
Despite the growing rumblings, the isolated location of Axial Seamount beneath the ocean makes it a minimal hazard for people living in Oregon or along the West Coast. Eruptions from this type of volcano tend to be contained to the seafloor and are not explosive like those from land-based volcanoes. They typically result in lava flows that cool quickly in the ocean’s cold depths and rarely reach the surface.
Even so, the Axial Seamount is an invaluable natural laboratory. Since it lies within a tectonically active zone where the Juan de Fuca Plate is spreading away from the Pacific Plate, it provides researchers with critical insight into how undersea volcanic and tectonic processes shape the Earth’s crust.
The current activity is also drawing attention during a timely month. May is recognized as Volcano Awareness Month in Oregon, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. That eruption, one of the most devastating in U.S. history, killed 57 people and transformed the surrounding landscape permanently. While Axial Seamount poses none of the same dangers, it serves as a reminder that the Pacific Northwest lies in a highly geologically active region.
Closer to home, land-based volcanoes in the Cascade Range — including Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, the Three Sisters, Crater Lake, and Newberry Volcano — are currently exhibiting normal background activity levels. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), small earthquakes have occurred at Mount Hood, Mount Rainier, and Mount St. Helens recently, but these are considered typical and not indicative of an impending eruption.
The USGS and the Cascades Volcano Observatory continue to monitor all regional volcanic systems closely and have contingency plans in place should activity levels change. The public is encouraged to stay informed through official updates available on the USGS Volcano Hazards Program website.
For residents in Oregon, the takeaway is clear: while volcanic activity is a constant feature of our dynamic geological environment, not all volcanic activity is cause for alarm. In the case of Axial Seamount, the eruption — if and when it occurs — will likely be an isolated undersea event with no impact on coastal communities.
Nevertheless, the situation underscores the importance of maintaining robust scientific monitoring systems, investing in geological research, and remaining aware of the natural forces that continue to shape the Pacific Northwest.