Ōjin Seamount facts for kids
Ōjin Seamount (応神海山) is an underwater mountain in the Pacific Ocean. It's part of a long line of undersea mountains called the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain. Ōjin Seamount is a type of underwater volcano known as a seamount.
This seamount is no longer active. It's an extinct volcano, meaning it won't erupt again. Ōjin Seamount is also known as the "Ōjin Guyot" because it has a flat top, like a table. Scientists call these flat-topped undersea mountains "guyots" or "tablemounts."
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What is a Seamount?
A seamount is a mountain that rises from the ocean floor but doesn't reach the water's surface. Most seamounts are old, extinct volcanoes. They are often found in chains, like the Hawaiian–Emperor chain, which stretches for thousands of miles.
How Seamounts Form
Seamounts form when magma (hot, melted rock) pushes up from inside the Earth. This magma erupts on the ocean floor, building up layers of rock over millions of years. Eventually, a mountain forms.
From Volcano to Guyot
Ōjin Seamount was once an active volcano. Over time, as it moved away from its hot spot (a place where magma rises), it stopped erupting. The top of the volcano then got flattened by waves and erosion when it was closer to the surface. As the ocean floor slowly sank, the flat-topped mountain became completely submerged, forming a guyot.
History of Ōjin Seamount
Ōjin Seamount is named after Emperor Ōjin of Japan. This undersea mountain has a very long history.
When Ōjin Last Erupted
The last time Ōjin Seamount erupted was about 55 million years ago. That's a very long time! Since then, it has been quiet and slowly sinking deeper into the ocean.
Location
Ōjin Seamount is located in the northern Pacific Ocean. It's part of the Emperor Seamount chain, which is the older, northern part of the Hawaiian–Emperor chain.
