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Cook Underwater Volcano | Dr John Seach
Last updated: January 2026
Western Province, Solomon Islands
~8.25 S, 157.06 E (location uncertain)
depth unknown
Submarine volcano
Cook Underwater Volcano was discovered during a 1963 survey and has produced temporary islands during eruptions.
Warning: Sudden submarine eruptions can produce explosive activity, discolored water, ash plumes, floating pumice, or temporary islands. Risk to shipping from gas emissions or local tsunamis. Remote location; monitoring challenging.
Geology and Volcanology
Cook is a submarine volcano in the Solomon Islands arc subduction zone. Eruptions build short-lived islands rapidly eroded by waves. Activity Surtseyan-style with explosive phases. Monitored remotely by Solomon Islands authorities.
Current Activity (January 2026)
Cook Underwater remains dormant with no recorded activity since 1991. Low seismicity. No surface manifestations. Remote monitoring ongoing; capable of sudden submarine eruption.
Post-1991 Quiescence (ongoing)
No recorded activity.
1991 Eruption
Eruptions of Cook volcano in 1991 formed a new island which was observed on 4th May during a helicopter overflight. The island was 300x150 m wide, 30 m high, and contained a lava pond 50 m in diameter.
1964 Eruption
14th December 1963. Commander Hunt from HMAS Cook stumbled across a previously unknown submarine volcano. Solfatara activity.
25th May 1964. Two locals in a boat observed a "mountain of black water" rise from the sea with black smoke rising from the summit. The sea was stained by the erupted material.
On 20th January 1964, Blot predicted an eruption of Cook volcano would take place on 21st May 1964. The prediction came true, with the eruption finally occurring on 25th May. Large blocks of pumice were seen on the shore near Munda.
Further reading
Exon, N.F. and Johnson, R.W., 1986. The elusive Cook volcano and other submarine forearc volcanoes in the Solomon Islands. BMR Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics, 10, pp.77-83.
Cook Underwater Volcano Eruptions
1991, 1964