NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • Generate wealth weekly
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Scientists get first glimpse of transformed seafloor around White Island

Jamie Morton
By Jamie Morton
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
28 Jul, 2020 01:39 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
NZ Herald were in the air in the hours after the dramatic eruption of White Island and captured stunning footage of NZ's most active volcano. Video / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust / George Novak

Scientists are gaining a first-time glimpse at how the ocean environment around Whakaari/White Island was transformed by December's deadly eruption.

Niwa scientists carrying out a seafloor survey from research vessel Tangaroa this week have already been struck by what they've observed around the offshore volcano in the Bay of Plenty.

That included large amounts of sediment being blasted into undersea canyons, which would have wiped out any life within them.

But so far, there's no sign that erupted material from the December 9 disaster has heightened the risk of a tsunami-generating ocean landslide.

Mapped in 2005, and again last year, the area is renowned for its thousands of seabed gas seeps and intricate network of canyons and channels.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Niwa marine geologist Dr Joshu Mountjoy is helping map the seafloor around White Island for the first time since the offshore volcano's deadly eruption in December. Photo / Supplied
Niwa marine geologist Dr Joshu Mountjoy is helping map the seafloor around White Island for the first time since the offshore volcano's deadly eruption in December. Photo / Supplied

Niwa marine geologist Dr Joshu Mountjoy said the new survey was building a picture of how that landscape had shifted – and specifically how much sediment had been dislodged during the eruption and where it had gone.

"What is visible from sea level is only a small part of the volcano – most of it is under the ocean so we want to see how that submarine environment has changed," he said.

"We expected that we might not see anything huge and catastrophic – but what we can see is there has been change in the canyon that leads off the island. It looks like all of the ash and sediment has gone down there."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

While he couldn't yet say how many tonnes of material had been pumped in, the impact on seafloor ecosystems would have been deadly.

"Certainly from the satellite footage at the time, you could see a big sediment plume running out from the island.

"That will have just collapsed under its own density, and floated down through the canyon - and my guess is that most of the erupted material will have gone down this channel.

"So if there was anything living there, it would have been decimated. But then this hasn't been seen over a large area."

The volume of material that flowed through likely would've been small compared with the equivalent 100 million dumptruck loads of mud and sand that gushed through the Kaikoura Canyon during November 2016's 7.8 quake, he said.

Niwa scientists carrying out a seafloor survey from research vessel Tangaroa this week have already been struck by what they've observed around the offshore volcano. Photo / Supplied
Niwa scientists carrying out a seafloor survey from research vessel Tangaroa this week have already been struck by what they've observed around the offshore volcano. Photo / Supplied

Another focus of the voyage was getting a clearer picture of any changes in underwater volcanism.

The Tangaroa has been using a multibeam echo sounder that emitted sound beams which mapped the seafloor and objects in the water column like gas bubbles, all without disturbing the seabed.

Water samples were also being taken to measure methane and carbon dioxide gas levels, which could help detect the presence of underwater seeps linked to volcanic activity.

"There is also the potential to see new hydrothermal vents – particularly in shallow water close to the island," he said.

White Island, pictured from Niwa research vessel Tangaroa this week. People remain prohibited from setting foot on the volcano. Photo / Supplied
White Island, pictured from Niwa research vessel Tangaroa this week. People remain prohibited from setting foot on the volcano. Photo / Supplied

"No one has collected water column imaging close to Whakaari so this is an incredible opportunity to discover new areas of volcanic activity.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"So far, we've seen a couple of gas seeps - but they're reasonably modest-sized things and it doesn't look like there's any new volcanic activity on the seafloor that would be hugely dramatic."

Of 47 people on the island at the time, 21 were killed, including two who are missing and declared dead, and 26 suffered injuries, many severe.

Several inquiries into the disaster are still under way.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Editorial

Editorial: PM shows unexpected style with Swift engagement move

Premium
Politics

Phone is ringing: Agents report instant offshore interest in luxury homes

Politics

‘Surreal experience’: Kaipara on going up against 'Goliath' Henare for Tāmaki Makaurau seat


Sponsored

Digital tool helps kids make better food choices

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Premium
Editorial: PM shows unexpected style with Swift engagement move
Editorial

Editorial: PM shows unexpected style with Swift engagement move

OPINION: As a cruel summer looms, this sort of Kiwi humour and innovation is what we need.

01 Sep 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Phone is ringing: Agents report instant offshore interest in luxury homes
Politics

Phone is ringing: Agents report instant offshore interest in luxury homes

01 Sep 05:00 PM
‘Surreal experience’: Kaipara on going up against 'Goliath' Henare for Tāmaki Makaurau seat
Politics

‘Surreal experience’: Kaipara on going up against 'Goliath' Henare for Tāmaki Makaurau seat

01 Sep 05:00 PM


Digital tool helps kids make better food choices
Sponsored

Digital tool helps kids make better food choices

01 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP