Volcano Journal Entry
White Island Volcano Erupts (May 1, 2000)
Recent eruption of New Zealands's White Island volcano. Courtesy Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.
New Zealand's White Island volcano erupted again this week with a plume of steam that reached about 1,500 meters (3,500 feet). Last week, hot ash poured from the volcano almost continuously for several days. Seismographs at White Island show an above average level of seismic tremors from the volcano.
Despite the increase in activity, there is no immediate hazard to tourists. But vulcanologists continue to watch the situation closely, since the volcano has in the past spat out large, glowing rocks with little or no warning.
Volcanoes often occur along subduction zones where one of Earth's tectonics subducts or dives below another. The subducted crust melts and forms magma, which rises back towards the surface and is released through volcanoes.
New Zealand lies in the region where the denser Pacific plate subducts the Indo-Australian plate. The region is part of the Ring of Fire, the large arc of active volcanoes and earthquake faults that surrounds the Pacific Ocean.
