[Summary]
 An explorable research of submarine volcanoes led by Assistant Professor Naoto Hirano at Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University was conducted by the Ocean and Earth Research Vessel, Mirai, owned by Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) on March, 2009. A new type of volcano, petit-spot, was discovered off the Chile trench. Obtained rock samples and volcanic morphologies are quite similar to that found off Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture (Hirano et al., 2006).

[Explanation]
 A new type of volcano, petit-spot, was discovered on the Pacific Plate prior to subduction off Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, although no present-day volcanic activities have been believed on such old and cold plate near trench in geoscience.  According to the volcano formation model presented in Science (Hirano et al., 2006), magma supply and ascending are involved with plate flexure prior to subduction. It has been predicted that such volcanoes exist wherever the plate flexes.  In this study, a new type of volcano at the Chile trench supports the formation model of petit-spot. This findings were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Geochemical Society of Japan on Kumagaya Campus, Rissho University from September 7 through 9, 2010.

More Information (Japanese)

[Contact]
Assistant Professor Naoto Hirano
Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University
TEL: +81-22－795－3618/ 6009
E-mail: nhirano*cneas.tohoku.ac.jp (Replace * with @)

Natsue Abe
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
TEL: +81-46－867－9329