One of Earth's Most Explosive Volcanoes Is Quietly Refilling With Magma

A new seismic survey shows a large shallow magma chamber beneath the mostly submerged Kikai Caldera, linked to the Akahoya eruption 7,300 years ago.

Chemical analyses suggest the magma now present differs from the material erupted during Akahoya and may be newly injected.

Researchers used air-gun pulses and dozens of ocean-bottom seismometers to map the chamber and found evidence of a lava dome forming over the past 3,900 years.

The findings support a magma re-injection model that could apply to other giant calderas and were published in Communications Earth & Environment.