Small Japanese Dolseom Island, After 10 Years... "Now Larger Than Yeouido"

Growth Due to Sediment Accumulation from Volcanic Eruption
"Small-Scale Eruptions Still Ongoing"

A small sedimentary rock island near the Pacific Ocean, formed by underwater volcanic activity, has reportedly grown about 14 times larger over the past decade. If volcanic activity continues, this island may expand further in the future.

According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun on the 20th (local time), the current area of Nishinoshima Island, discovered about 1000 km south of Tokyo in 2013, is approximately 4 km². It is larger than Yeouido in Seoul (2.9 km²).

When Nishinoshima was first discovered, the island's diameter was only about 200 meters. Nishinoshima is an island formed by rocks deposited from underwater volcanic activity near the Ogasawara Islands. The main sediment forming the island's landmass is rock created when magma suddenly cooled.

Nishinoshima Volcano Eruption

Volcanic eruptions have continued on the island since then, and the pumice created during this process has continuously merged with Nishinoshima. In 2020, a large-scale eruption that emitted volcanic ash further enlarged Nishinoshima.

Asahi Shimbun reported that during a survey conducted over Nishinoshima on the 3rd of this month, white smoke was observed rising from the central volcanic crater and slopes. The media stated, "Volcanic activity and small-scale eruptions have continued until now." This suggests that Nishinoshima has the potential to grow even larger.

In the Ogasawara Islands, to which Nishinoshima belongs, new islands continue to be formed due to ongoing volcanic activity. On the coast further south than Nishinoshima, a newly discovered island about 100 meters in diameter was found.

Volcanology researcher Setsuya Nakata, an emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo, explained to the media, "The entire archipelago is currently in a period of very active volcanic activity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.