Bounty Seamount facts for kids

Bounty Seamount is a seamount in the Pacific Ocean, which reaches a depth of 420 metres (1,380 ft) or 450 metres (1,480 ft). It is about 3,950 metres (12,960 ft) high.

Geology and geomorphology

The seamount is part of a group of seamounts about 100 kilometres (62 mi) away from Pitcairn Island, which includes several small seamounts and the large Adams Seamount. These seamounts were discovered in 1989.

Bounty has a conical shape, with three summit cones and several rift zones. Pillow lavas and hyaloclastite cover its slopes, and parasitic vents can be observed as well. The volcano has a volume of about 310 cubic kilometres (74 cu mi) and has a width of 19 kilometres (12 mi) at its foot. Bounty has erupted rocks with compositions of alkali basalt, trachyandesite and trachyte.

Eruption history

Bounty Seamount was formed in several stages, and it could have developed over a time of 58,000 years. Alkali basalts from Bounty have been dated by potassium-argon dating to be 344,000 ± 32,000 years before present. Nevertheless, traces of recent volcanic activity and of hydrothermal venting have been found.

This hydrothermal venting manifests itself by the release of low-temperature fluids and the formation of iron-rich crusts. Temperatures of vented fluids amount to 14–19 °C (57–66 °F).