News- Kavachi Volcano drew attention after researchers observed sharks and a stingray swimming inside its crater during a scientific expedition.
About Kavachi Volcano
Kavachi is a submarine volcano in the southwest Pacific Ocean, located in the Solomon Islands south of Gatokae and Vangunu Islands.
It lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Naming:
- Kavachi is named after a mythical sea-god of the Gatokae and Vangunu peoples.
- It is also referred to locally as Rejo te Kavachi (“Kavachi’s oven”).
- It is informally known as “Sharkcano.”
Status
- Kavachi is an active submarine volcano with repeated eruptive activity.
- It has erupted at least 39 times since it was first documented in 1939, with the latest eruptive period beginning in 2021.
Key features
- Kavachi is a conical seamount that regularly shows visible signs of volcanic activity, such as steam plumes, ash, lava, and water discoloration linked to volcanic gas release.
- Its eruptions can briefly build small islands, but these formations are quickly removed because they are not able to resist wave erosion.
- During eruptions, the volcano releases superheated, highly acidic water along with volcanic gases into the surrounding sea.
- During non-eruptive periods, footage has recorded hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, and a stingray moving inside its caldera.
