New island born near Ogasawara island chain in Japan

Source– This post “New island born near Ogasawara island chain in Japan” is based on the article “New island is born in Japan after undersea volcanic eruption” published in “The Times of India” on 10 November 2023.

Why in the News?

Recently, a new island emerged near Japan’s Ogasawara island chain after an undersea volcanic eruption.

What is Ogasawara island chain?

1.  The Ogasawara islands chain (also known as Bonin islands) is a volcanic arc that consist of more than 30 islands.
2.  It comprises of three main island groups Mukojima, Chichijima, & Hahajima.
3.  It is located more than 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean.
4.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage site inducted in 2011.

   

How new islands are continuously born near Japan?

1. These islands are mainly formed through phreatomagmatic eruptions, which occur when magma interacts with seawater and produce explosive bursts of steam and ash.
2. After that, the volcanic material accumulated on the shallow bed and rise above the sea surface and take the form of an island.

Why continuous volcanic eruptions take place near Japan?

1. Tectonic Activities- Active volcanism is the consequence of meeting of various continental plates. The Eurasian, the North America, the Philippines and the Pacific plate collide in a relatively small area near Japan.
2. Geographical location- Japan is located on the “ring of fire” which is home to 111 of the approximately 1500 active volcanoes worldwide.

UPSC Syllabus- Geography (Places in news)