Whakaari/White Island: New active vent discovered, increased volcanic gas and ash

Scientists have discovered a new active vent on Whakaari/White Island increasing the amount of volcanic gases being emitted from the volcano.

They also warned the recent increased activity at the island could continue for some time, maybe weeks to months.

A “continuous minor eruption” began on Sunday with GNS Science saying “regular” eruptions on Whakaari/White Island were likely to continue after indications that magma (molten rock) had risen to shallow levels beneath the volcano.

In an update today, the agency said a gas flight on Wednesday had confirmed an increase in the amount of volcanic gas emitted from the island and that the plumes were coming from a new source vent.

“Satellite data also suggested a modest increase in the amount of volcanic ash in the plume since last Friday compared to the beginning of the eruptive activity in May 2024″.

Picture of the minor ash emission from the active vent that is feeding the plume from Whakaari/White Island during Wednesday’s gas flight.

The Volcanic Alert Level remained at Level 3 and the Aviation Colour Code at Orange.

“Minor amounts of volcanic ash were also observed in the plume, downwind from the island,” the agency said.

“The gas and ash are being emitted from a vent about 10 to 15m across.”

GNS said a small ash sample taken during the flight showed it had been derived from a shallow magma source.

“These new data confirm there has been a change in the eruptive activity from the island since the beginning of August. There is more gas and more continuous minor entrainment of volcanic ash in the hot plume.

“This is consistent with magma (molten rock) being close to the surface and driving the activity.”

GNS said this was part of the “typical eruptive cycles seen at Whakaari/White Island”.

“Based on eruptive episodes over the past 30 years, this activity could continue for some time, maybe weeks to months.

“MetService has been able to track the volcanic ash in the plume for 10s of kilometres from the island over the past week due to clear sky conditions around Whakaari/White Island. Plumes have reached up to 2km elevation, under calm conditions.

“The concentrations of volcanic ash are very low and sometimes difficult to detect. As the weather changes the plume may at times be blown towards the Bay of Plenty coast.

Amount of sulphur dioxide (SO2) gas (blue circles) emitted since January 2010. Periods of eruptive activity are shown by grey bands in the background. SO2 emissions have increased since the volcanic activity increased at the end of May 2024 (grey region to the far right of the plot).

“However, at the current level of ash emission, there is a very low likelihood of ash impacting the mainland. The level of volcanic activity would have to change significantly for this likelihood to increase.”

Adventure cameraman Geoff Mackley chartered a boat to the marine volcano on Saturday and used a drone with a “powerful” zoom to capture footage of the crater from near the shoreline.

The active volcano offshore of Whakatāne has been closed to tourists since a 2019 eruption killed 22 people.