### Underwater Volcano Axial Seamount Prepares for Eruption After 11-Year Dormancy

An underwater volcano in the Pacific Northwest, Axial Seamount, is projected to erupt this year after 11 years of dormancy, potentially creating significant activity for marine life. Located about a mile beneath the ocean’s surface and 300 miles off the coast of Astoria, Oregon, the volcano has previously erupted three times in the last 30 years, with its most recent eruption in 2015.

Oregon State University’s adjunct Bill Chadwick, who is part of the team forecasting the eruption, explains that despite the volcano's distance from the shore and its depth, it will not significantly impact human life. However, the eruption will heat seawater to over 700 degrees Fahrenheit, causing it to pass through volcanic rock cracks and pick up minerals, resulting in hydrothermal vents that emit plumes of black smoke.

These hydrothermal vents serve as hotbeds for marine life due to the warmth and nutrients they provide. "The base of the food chain here are microbes that do little chemical reactions that yield energy, and then animals are either symbiotic with them, or they eat them. And then there's this whole chemical energy-based ecosystem around these hydrothermal vents, and lots of weird animals," Chadwick said.

While the upcoming eruption may cause small earthquakes registering in the 2s and 3s on the Richter scale, they are not expected to cause significant damage to marine or land life. Scientists face challenges in pinpointing the exact timing of such natural events but utilize cycles of inflation and deflation of the seafloor to anticipate activity. Chadwick likened this process to a balloon inflating and deflating, with the magma accumulation causing the seafloor to expand and contract.

Monitoring of the underwater volcano is made possible through the Ocean Observatories Initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation. This initiative includes a network of cords stretched from the shore to the volcano, fitted with over 140 pieces of equipment such as pressure sensors.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, about 80% of volcanic eruptions occur underwater, making them tougher to predict due to the lack of surface commotion. However, the relative remoteness of Axial Seamount allows scientists to experiment with forecasting techniques without significant risk to human populations or economic interests.

Chadwick remains cautious, noting that the forecasting process is still evolving and has had mixed success. “My forecasting has had some success and some failures,” he remarked. Despite the uncertainties, Axial Seamount continues to serve as a crucial site for improving the long-term forecasting of underwater volcanic eruptions.