Monowai (seamount)
volcanic seamount to the north of New Zealand
Monowai Seamount is a volcanic seamount to the north of New Zealand. It is formed by a large caldera and a volcanic cone just south-southeast from the caldera. The volcanic cone rises to depths of up to 100 metres (330 ft) but its depth varies with ongoing volcanic activity, including sector collapses and the growth of lava domes. The seamount and its volcanism were discovered after 1877, but only in 1980 was it named "Monowai" after a research ship of the same name.
The subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the Australia plate has given rise to volcanic and hydrothermal activity on the Kermadec Ridge that Monowai is part of. The volcano is located at the site where the Osbourn Trough and the Louisville seamount chain subduct in the Tonga Trench and this subduction process probably has influenced its volcanism. Monowai is one of the most active volcanoes in the Kermadec volcanic arc, with many eruptions since 1977, and perhaps the most active submarine volcano in the world. Volcanic activity is characterised by the emission of gas and discolouration of water, along with seismic activity and a substantial growth rate of the volcano. The ongoing hydrothermal activity has also been observed and hydrothermal vents on Monowai feature a rich variety of fauna.
Discovery and research history
Volcanic activity at Monowai Seamount was discovered between 1877 and 1924, and a shoal was first noted in 1944 (although this may constitute a misinterpreted pumice raft or disturbance of the water.) Monowai Seamount was first recognized to be a volcano in 1977 and was named in 1980 after the research ship HMNZS Monowai (A06).
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The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 24, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1637519. Authority coordinates are -25.887, -177.188. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1877, 1980, 1977 and 1924.
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This entry incorporates text from “Monowai (seamount)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.