Ahyi Seamount
Find U.S. Volcano
Ahyi seamount is a large conical submarine volcano that rises to within 137 m of the sea surface about 18 km SE of the island of Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas) in the northern Marianas.
Quick Facts
Location: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Latitude: 20.42° N
Longitude: 145.03° E
Elevation: -75 (m) -246 (f)
Volcano type: Submarine
Composition: Andesite - Basalt
Most recent eruption: 2023 CE
Threat Potential: Very low*
*based on the National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
Ahyi seamount is a large conical submarine volcano that rises to within 75 m of the ocean surface ~18 km SE of the island of Farallon de Pajaros in the northern Marianas. Water discoloration has been observed there, and in 1979 the crew of a fishing boat felt shocks over the summit area, followed by upwelling of sulfur-bearing water. On 24-25 April 2001 an explosive eruption was detected seismically by a station on Rangiroa Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago. The event was well constrained (± 15 km) at a location near the southern base of Ahyi. An eruption in April-May 2014 was detected by NOAA divers, hydroacoustic sensors, and seismic stations.
Publications
Volcanic hazards in the Pacific U.S. Territories
Hydroacoustic, seismic, and bathymetric observations of the 2014 submarine eruption at Ahyi Seamount, Mariana Arc
Ahyi seamount, a shallow submarine volcano in the Northern Mariana Islands, began erupting on April 23, 2014. Hydroacoustic eruption signals were observed on the regional Mariana seismic network and on distant hydrophones, and NOAA scuba divers working in the area soon after the eruption began heard and felt underwater explosion sounds. The NOAA crew observed yellow orange bubble mats along the sh
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners. This update