Report on Macdonald (France) — December 1988
Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 13, no. 12 (December 1988)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.
Macdonald (France) Frequent eruptive seismicity in 1988
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 1988. Report on Macdonald (France) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 13:12. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198812-333060
Macdonald
France
28.98°S, 140.25°W; summit elev. -39 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
Seismicity . . . was substantially more vigorous in 1987 and particularly in 1988 than in previous years since 1977 (figure 1). Acoustic T-waves generated from a submarine eruption 11-17 November 1988 were the most intense since the Polynesian Seismic Research station began to collect data more than 25 years ago. Since the end of the 3-18 September eruption nearly continuous weak seismicity from Macdonald was detected 26 September-5 October, 12-24 October, and 12-14 December, and weaker more sporadic explosions 25-29 December.
Geological Summary. Discovered by the detection of teleseismic waves in 1967, Macdonald seamount (also known as Tamarii seamount) rises from a depth of about 1,800 m to within 27 m of the ocean surface at the eastern end of the Austral Islands. The basaltic submarine volcano marks the site of a hotspot that was the source of the Austral-Cook island chain. The summit, named after volcanologist Gordon Macdonald, consists of a flat plateau about 100 x 150 m wide with an average depth of about 40 m. The summit plateau is capped with spatter cones that form steep-sided pinnacles. Most eruptions have been seismically detected, but in 1987 and 1989 pumice emission was observed from research vessels. Pumice rafts observed in the South Pacific in 1928 and 1936 may also have originated here.
Information Contacts: J. Talandier, LDG Tahiti.