List of volcanoes in the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain facts for kids
Imagine a long line of underwater mountains and volcanoes stretching for about 6,200 kilometers (3,850 miles) across the Pacific Ocean! This is called the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain.
It was made by the ocean crust (the Earth's outer layer under the ocean) slowly moving over a special spot called the Hawaii hotspot. This hotspot is like a super-hot oven deep inside the Earth's mantle, sending up hot rock.
As the ocean crust moves, the volcanoes are carried away from this hot spot. When they move away, their eruptions become less frequent and weaker. Eventually, they stop erupting completely. Then, the ocean waves and weather slowly wear them down. The seafloor also sinks, causing the volcano to get smaller and lower.
As a volcano sinks and erodes, it changes form. First, it becomes an atoll island. Then, it turns into an atoll, which is a ring-shaped coral reef with a lagoon in the middle. If it sinks even more below the sea, it becomes a seamount (an underwater mountain). If a seamount is 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) or more under the surface, it's also called a guyot. This article lists the most important volcanoes in this chain, starting from the ones closest to the hotspot.
The chain has three main parts. The first part is the main Hawaiian islands. These are the eight youngest islands, found in the east. They include volcanoes that are from 400,000 to 5.1 million years old. The island of Hawaiʻi has five volcanoes. Two of them, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, are still active. Kamaʻehuakanaloa Seamount (once called Lōʻihi) is still growing underwater. It is the only known volcano in the chain that is still in its early underwater stage.
The second part of the chain is the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. These are also called the Leeward Isles. Their volcanoes are between 7.2 and 27.7 million years old. Here, erosion has taken over, and most of these islands are now atolls, atoll islands, or extinct islands. They include some of the most northern atolls in the world, like Kure Atoll.
The oldest part of the chain is the Emperor seamounts. These are between 39 and 85 million years old.
The Emperor and Hawaiian chains have a big L-shaped bend between them. This bend means the two parts of the chain point in different directions (about 60 degrees apart). For a long time, people thought this bend happened because the Earth's plate suddenly changed direction. But in 2003, new research suggested that the hotspot itself moved, causing the bend. Scientists are still discussing this idea.
All the volcanoes in the Emperor seamount chain have sunk below sea level. They are now all seamounts and guyots. Many of these volcanoes are named after former emperors of Japan. The seamount chain reaches all the way to the West Pacific. It ends at the Kuril–Kamchatka Trench, which is a deep ocean trench near Russia.
Hawaiian Islands and Seamounts
| Name | Type | Last eruption | Coordinates | Age (years) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamaʻehuakanaloa Seamount (formerly Lōʻihi) | Seamount | 1996 (active) | 18°55′N 155°16′W / 18.92°N 155.27°W | 400,000 | This underwater volcano is about 35 km (22 mi) southeast of Hawaiʻi. It might one day rise above the sea and become the newest Hawaiian island! |
| Kīlauea | Big Island | 2021–ongoing (active) | 19°25′N 155°17′W / 19.417°N 155.283°W | 300,000–600,000 | Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. It erupted almost non-stop from 1983 to 2018. |
| Mauna Loa | Big Island | 2022-ongoing (active) | 19°28′46″N 155°36′10″W / 19.47944°N 155.60278°W | 700,000–1 million | This is the largest volcano on land on Earth. |
| Hualālai | Big Island | 1800–1801 (active) | 19°41′32″N 155°52′02″W / 19.69222°N 155.86722°W | > 300,000 | It is located on the western side of the Big Island. |
| Mauna Kea | Big Island | 4460 BP (dormant) | 19°49′14″N 155°28′05″W / 19.82056°N 155.46806°W | ~1 million | If you count the part below sea level, this is the world's tallest mountain! |
| Kohala | Big Island | 120,000 BP (extinct) | 20°05′10″N 155°43′02″W / 20.08611°N 155.71722°W | ~ 120,000–1 million | This is the oldest volcano that is still part of the island of Hawaiʻi. |
| Māhukona | Seamount | 470,000 BP (extinct) | 20°01′N 156°01′W / 20.017°N 156.017°W | K-Ar 298,000±25,000 and 310,000±31,000 | This volcano is now completely underwater. |
| Haleakalā | Maui | between A.D. 1480 and 1600, oldest currently active volcano in the Hawaiian - Emperor seamount chain | 20°42′35″N 156°15′12″W / 20.70972°N 156.25333°W | ~ 2 million | This volcano makes up more than 75% of the island of Maui. |
| West Maui | Maui | less than 320,000 BP (extinct) | 20°54′N 156°37′W / 20.900°N 156.617°W | K-Ar 1.32±0.04 million | This is a very eroded volcano that forms the western quarter of Maui. |
| Kahoʻolawe | Kahoʻolawe | ~1 MYA | 20°33′N 156°36′W / 20.550°N 156.600°W | K-Ar > 1.03±0.18 million | This is the smallest of the 8 main Hawaiian islands and is not inhabited. |
| Lānaʻi | Lānaʻi | 1.2 MYA | 20°50′N 156°56′W / 20.833°N 156.933°W | K-Ar date of 1.28±0.04 million | This is the sixth-largest island. Its only town is Lānaʻi City. |
| East Molokai | Molokaʻi | 1.3 MYA | 21°7′N 156°51′W / 21.117°N 156.850°W | K-Ar 1.76±0.04 million | The northern half of this volcano collapsed 1.5 million years ago. Only the southern half is still above the sea. |
| West Molokaʻi | Molokaʻi | 1.76 MYA | 21°9′N 157°14′W / 21.150°N 157.233°W | K-Ar date of 1.9±0.06 million | |
| Penguin Bank | Seamount |
|
20°55′N 157°40′W / 20.917°N 157.667°W | ~ 2.2 million | This underwater volcano is southwest of Molokaʻi. It was once part of a huge ancient island called Maui Nui. |
| Koʻolau Range | Oʻahu | <32,000 BP (possibly dormant) | 21°19′N 157°46′W / 21.317°N 157.767°W | 2.7 million | This is what's left of an eastern volcano that also collapsed a long time ago. |
| Waiʻanae Range | Oʻahu | ~2.5 MYA | 21°30′N 158°09′W / 21.500°N 158.150°W | ~1.7–3.9 million; K-Ar 3.7±0.1 million | These are the eroded remains of a volcano that made up the western half of Oʻahu. |
| Kaʻena Ridge | Oʻahu | <3.0 MYA | 21°42′N 158°22′W / 21.700°N 158.367°W | ~3.5–4.9 million | This is an eroded volcano west of Waiʻanae that has now sunk below sea level. |
| Kaʻula | Kaʻula | >2 MYA | 21°39′N 160°32′W / 21.650°N 160.533°W | K-Ar 4.0±0.2 million | A tiny, barren island shaped like a crescent. Only divers and fishermen visit it. |
| Niʻihau | Niʻihau | 2 MYA | 21°54′N 160°10′W / 21.900°N 160.167°W | K-Ar 4.89±0.11 million | This is the smallest inhabited island in Hawaii. |
| Kauaʻi | Kauaʻi | 1.41 MYA | 22°05′N 159°30′W / 22.083°N 159.500°W | K-Ar 5.1±0.2 million | This is the oldest and fourth-largest of the main islands. It's home to Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest places on Earth! |
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
| Name | Type | Coordinates | Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 22°42′N 161°02′W / 22.700°N 161.033°W | 5.1 to 7.2 million | This underwater mountain is 40 meters (131 ft) below sea level. |
| Nihoa | Extinct Island | 23°03′N 161°55′W / 23.050°N 161.917°W | K-Ar 7.2±0.3 million | This small, rocky island had people living on it around 1000 CE. It has over 80 old cultural sites. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 22°59′N 162°14′W / 22.983°N 162.233°W | 7.2 to 10.3 million | This guyot is 10 meters (33 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 23°14′N 162°37′W / 23.233°N 162.617°W | 7.2 to 10.3 million | This guyot is 229 meters (751 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 23°14′N 162°57′W / 23.233°N 162.950°W | 7.2 to 10.3 million | This guyot is 5 meters (16 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 23°12′N 163°10′W / 23.200°N 163.167°W | 7.2 to 10.3 million | This guyot is 44 meters (144 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 23°18′N 163°16′W / 23.300°N 163.267°W | 7.2 to 10.3 million | This guyot is 413 meters (1,355 ft) below sea level. |
| Necker Island | Extinct Island | 23°34′35″N 164°42′0″W / 23.57639°N 164.70000°W | K-Ar 10.3±0.4 million | A small, empty island with old Hawaiian religious sites. |
| French Frigate Shoals | Atoll | 23°52′08″N 166°17′10″W / 23.8689°N 166.2860°W | 12 million | This is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| East Brooks Bank | Guyot | 23°59′N 166°42′W / 23.983°N 166.700°W | 12 to 12.3 million | This guyot is 51 meters (167 ft) below sea level. |
| Central Brooks Bank | Guyot | 24°07′N 166°49′W / 24.117°N 166.817°W | 12 to 12.3 million | This guyot is 29 meters (95 ft) below sea level. |
| West Brooks Bank | Guyot | 24°12′N 166°57′W / 24.200°N 166.950°W | 12 to 12.3 million | This guyot is 24 meters (79 ft) below sea level. |
| Saint Rogatien Bank | Guyot | 24°19′N 167°08′W / 24.317°N 167.133°W | 12 to 12.3 million | This guyot is 20 meters (66 ft) below sea level. |
| Gardner Pinnacles | Atoll Island | 25°01′N 167°59′W / 25.017°N 167.983°W | K-Ar 12.3±1.0 million | Two bare rock formations surrounded by a reef. |
| Raita Bank | Guyot | 25°33′N 169°27′W / 25.550°N 169.450°W | 12.3 to 19.9 million | This guyot is 13 meters (43 ft) below sea level. |
| Maro Reef | Atoll | 25°25′N 170°35′W / 25.417°N 170.583°W | 12.3 to 19.9 million | This is the largest coral reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. |
| Laysan | Atoll Island | 25°46′03″N 171°44′00″W / 25.7675°N 171.7334°W | K-Ar 19.9±0.3 million | Originally named "Kauō" (meaning egg) because of its shape. It has one of only five natural lakes in Hawaii. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 25°22′N 172°03′W / 25.367°N 172.050°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 1 meter (3 ft) below sea level. |
| Northampton Seamount | Guyot | 25°30′N 172°24′W / 25.500°N 172.400°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 6 meters (20 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 25°39′N 172°56′W / 25.650°N 172.933°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 872 meters (2,861 ft) below sea level. |
| Pioneer Tablemount | Guyot | 25°59′N 173°24′W / 25.983°N 173.400°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 5 meters (16 ft) below sea level. |
| Lisianski Island | Atoll Island | 26°3′49″N 173°57′57″W / 26.06361°N 173.96583°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | A small island surrounded by a huge coral reef, almost the size of Oʻahu. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 26°18′N 174°32′W / 26.300°N 174.533°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 67 meters (220 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamounts | Guyot | 26°56′N 175°36′W / 26.933°N 175.600°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | A pair of guyots at depths of 115 meters (377 ft) and 1,207 meters (3,960 ft) below sea level. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 27°09′N 176°10′W / 27.150°N 176.167°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 1,233 meters (4,045 ft) below sea level. |
| Salmon Bank | Guyot | 26°56′N 176°25′W / 26.933°N 176.417°W | 19.9 to 20.6 million | This guyot is 54 meters (177 ft) below sea level. |
| Pearl and Hermes Atoll | Atoll Island | 27°48′N 175°51′W / 27.800°N 175.850°W | K-Ar 20.6±2.7 million | A group of small, sandy islands with a lagoon and coral reef. |
| Unnamed seamount | Guyot | 28°05′N 176°54′W / 28.083°N 176.900°W | 20.6 to 27.7 million | This guyot is 1,640 meters (5,381 ft) below sea level. |
| Ladd Seamount | Guyot | 28°31′45″N 176°40′00″W / 28.52917°N 176.66667°W | 20.6 to 27.7 million | This guyot is 64 meters (210 ft) below sea level. |
| Midway Atoll | Atoll Island | 28°12′N 177°21′W / 28.200°N 177.350°W | K-Ar 27.7±0.6 million | This atoll has a ring-shaped reef and two large islets. It was important during World War II. |
| Nero Seamount | Guyot | 27°57′55″N 177°57′50″W / 27.96528°N 177.96389°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million | This guyot is 67 meters (220 ft) below sea level. |
| Kure Atoll | Atoll | 28°25′N 178°20′W / 28.417°N 178.333°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million | This is the northernmost coral atoll in the world! |
Emperor Seamounts
| Name | Type | Summit Depth | Coordinates | Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Windward | Guyot | 124 m (407 ft) | 28°54′N 178°37′W / 28.900°N 178.617°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million |
|
| Academician Berg | Guyot | 182 m (597 ft) | 28°51′N 178°52′W / 28.850°N 178.867°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million |
|
| West Windward | Guyot | 254 m (833 ft) | 28°49′50″N 179°07′50″W / 28.83056°N 179.13056°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million |
|
| Helsley | Guyot | 159 m (522 ft) | 28°54′N 179°34′W / 28.900°N 179.567°W | 27.7 to 38.7 million | Named after Charles Helsley, a researcher. Also called Zapadnaya Seamount. |
| East Townsend Cromwell | Seamount | 506 m (1,660 ft) | 29°41′N 179°20′E / 29.683°N 179.333°E | 27.7 to 38.7 million |
|
| Townsend Cromwell | Seamount | 209 m (686 ft) | 29°47′N 179°03′E / 29.783°N 179.050°E | 27.7 to 38.7 million | Named after Townsend Cromwell, a famous oceanographer. |
| Hancock | Seamount | 298 m (978 ft) | 30°15′N 178°50′E / 30.250°N 178.833°E | 27.7 to 38.7 million |
|
| De Veuster | Seamount | 474 m (1,555 ft) | 30°22′30″N 177°34′00″E / 30.37500°N 177.56667°E | 27.7 to 38.7 million | Possibly named after Father Damien, a Catholic priest in Hawaii. |
| Colahan | Seamount | 232 m (761 ft) | 31°15′N 176°0′E / 31.250°N 176.000°E | K-Ar 38.7±0.2 million |
|
| Abbott | Seamount | 1,680 m (5,510 ft) | 31°48′N 174°18′E / 31.800°N 174.300°E | K-Ar 41.5±0.3 million |
|
| Daikakuji | Guyot | 1,050 m (3,440 ft) | 32°05′N 172°18′E / 32.083°N 172.300°E | K-Ar 42.4±2.3 and 46.7±0.1 million | Located at the bend in the L-shaped chain of seamounts. It's also the name of a Japanese temple. |
| Kammu | Guyot | 319 m (1,047 ft) | 32°10′N 173°00′E / 32.167°N 173.000°E | 42.4 to 43.4 million | Named after Emperor Kammu, a former ruler of Japan (781–806). |
| Yuryaku | Guyot | 492 m (1,614 ft) | 32°40.2′N 172°16.2′E / 32.6700°N 172.2700°E | K-Ar 43.4±1.6 million | Named after Emperor Yūryaku, a former ruler of Japan (~456–479). |
| Goshirakawa | Guyot | 3,203 m (10,509 ft) | 32°39′N 171°34′E / 32.650°N 171.567°E | ~40 million | Named after Emperor Go-Shirakawa, a former ruler of Japan (1155–1158). |
| Gosanjo | Guyot | 2,620 m (8,600 ft) | 32°54′N 171°34′E / 32.900°N 171.567°E | ~40 million | Named after Emperor Go-Sanjō, a former ruler of Japan (1068–1073). |
| Toba | Guyot | 963 m (3,159 ft) | 33°14′N 171°39′E / 33.233°N 171.650°E | ~40 million | Named after Emperor Toba, a former ruler of Japan (1107–1123). |
| Genji | Seamount | 2,550 m (8,370 ft) | 33°20′N 172°14′E / 33.333°N 172.233°E | ~40 million | Named after Hikaru Genji, a character in a classic Japanese story. |
| Kimmei | Seamount | 222 m (728 ft) | 33°41′N 171°38′E / 33.683°N 171.633°E | K-Ar 39.9±1.2 and 47.9±0.2 million | Named after Emperor Kimmei, a former ruler of Japan (539–571). |
| Unnamed Seamount | Seamount | 82 m (269 ft) | 34°57′00″N 171°35′40″E / 34.95000°N 171.59444°E | same as Koko Guyot |
|
| Koko | Guyot | 247 m (810 ft) | 35°15′N 171°35′E / 35.250°N 171.583°E | K-Ar 48.1±0.8, 50.4±0.1 (south side), and 52.6±0.8 (north side) million | Named after Emperor Kōkō, a former ruler of Japan (884–887). |
| Unnamed Guyot | Guyot | 84 m (276 ft) | 36°47′45″N 171°21′50″E / 36.79583°N 171.36389°E | 48.1 to 55.2 million |
|
| Ojin | Guyot | 197 m (646 ft) | 37°58.2′N 170°22.8′E / 37.9700°N 170.3800°E | K-Ar 55.2±0.7 million | Named after Emperor Ōjin, a former ruler of Japan (~270–310). |
| Jingu | Guyot | 588 m (1,929 ft) | 38°50′N 171°15′E / 38.833°N 171.250°E | K-Ar 55.4±0.9 million | Named after Empress Jingū, a former ruler of Japan (~201–269). |
| Nintoku | Guyot | 589 m (1,932 ft) | 41°4.8′N 170°34.2′E / 41.0800°N 170.5700°E | K-Ar 56.2±0.6 million | Named after Emperor Nintoku, a former ruler of Japan (~313–399). |
| Ninigi | Seamount | 1,549 m (5,082 ft) | 41°44′N 170°12′E / 41.733°N 170.200°E | 56.2 to 59.6 million | Named after Ninigi-no-Mikoto, a god in Japanese stories. |
| Godaigo | Seamount | 1,560 m (5,120 ft) | 41°51′N 170°33′E / 41.850°N 170.550°E | 56.2 to 59.6 million | Named after Emperor Go-Daigo, a former ruler of Japan (1318–1339). |
| Yomei | Guyot | 543 m (1,781 ft) | 42°18′N 170°24′E / 42.300°N 170.400°E | 56.2 to 59.6 million | Named after Emperor Yōmei, a former ruler of Japan (540–587). |
| Showa | Guyot | 387 m (1,270 ft) | 42°59′N 170°21′E / 42.983°N 170.350°E | 56.2 to 59.6 million | Named after Emperor Shōwa, a former ruler of Japan (1926–1989). |
| Soga | Guyot | 68 m (223 ft) | 43°24′N 169°59′E / 43.400°N 169.983°E | 56.2 to 59.6 million | Named after Emperor Saga, a former ruler of Japan (809–823). |
| Suiko | Seamount | 995 m (3,264 ft) | 44°35′N 170°20′E / 44.583°N 170.333°E | K-Ar 59.6±0.6 (southern), 64.7±1.1 (central), and 60.9±0.3 million | Named after Empress Suiko, a former ruler of Japan (592–628). |
| Winnebago | Guyot | 1,680 m (5,510 ft) | 48°10′N 168°20′E / 48.167°N 168.333°E | 60–81 million |
|
| Tenji | Guyot | 1,599 m (5,246 ft) | 48°50′N 168°30′E / 48.833°N 168.500°E | 60–81 million | Named after Emperor Tenji, a former ruler of Japan (661–672). |
| Detroit | Seamount | 1,498 m (4,915 ft) | 51°29′N 167°36′E / 51.483°N 167.600°E | ~ 81 million | This is the second-oldest seamount. It was active for 18 million years after it formed over the hotspot. |
| Meiji | Seamount | 2,720 m (8,920 ft) | 53°12′N 164°30′E / 53.200°N 164.500°E | 85 million | Named after Emperor Meiji, a former ruler of Japan (1867–1912). This is the oldest known seamount in the chain. |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Volcanes de la cadena de montes submarinos Hawái-Emperador para niños
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List of volcanoes in the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.