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Curtis Island

Photo of this volcano
  • New Zealand
  • Stratovolcano
  • Unknown - Unrest / Holocene
  •  
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 30.543°S
  • 178.556°W

  • 47 m
    154 ft

  • 242010
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: February 2009 (BGVN 34:02) Citation IconCite this Report

Acoustic data indicates possible nearby volcanic activity

Olivier Hyvernaud reported that recent T-phase waves, recorded by the Laboratoire de Géophysique in Tahiti, originated from near Curtis Island (figure 1) and had waveforms suggesting a volcanic origin. The first of these hydroacoustic waves recorded on the Polynesian seismic network were a brief swarm of seven short strong events on 17 January 2009. On that day the network received the signals between 1706 and 1717 UTC. In addition, a single event was received 19 January 2009 at 0753 UTC. The best preliminary location for these events was 30.49°S, 178.55°W, a position 5-6 km NNE of Curtis Island and well within the area of the larger caldera structure.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Satellite imagery showing Curtis and Cheeseman Islands (inset) along the Kermadec Island chain north of New Zealand. Curtis Island is approximately 900 km NE of New Zealand. Volcano locations from GVP database. Inset map image acquired 10-11 May 2006 by DigitalGlobe. Imagery courtesy of Google Earth.

On the New Zealand GNS Science website there is a brief discussion and two photos of Curtis Island, noting a short visit there, thermal activity, nearby mineral-rich volcanoes, and that it lies adjacent to a chain of submarine volcanoes (eg. Smith, 1988). They also stated "The benefit in studying this remote outcrop is the insight it gives into the composition of these underwater vents, while being relatively straightforward to measure in comparison."

On 1 April 2009 Brad Scott (GNS) added that they were not aware of any activity at this time. The island is remote and GNS personnel do not visit on a regular basis. The activity on the island is solfataric. He also noted that the island is composed of pyroclastic-flow (ignimbrites) deposits from an unknown nearby source.

No thermal alerts have been measured by the MODVOLC system for Curtis Island since at least the beginning of 2004 and through 1 April 2009.

References. Smith, I., 1988, The geochemistry of rock and water samples from Curtis Island volcano, Kermadec group, southwest Pacific: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 34, no. 3-4, p. 233-240.

Information Contacts: GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Private Bag 2000, Taupo 3352, New Zealand (URL: http://www.gns.cri.nz/); Olivier Hyvernaud, Laboratoire de Géophysique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA/DASE/LDG), PO Box 640, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia; Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) Thermal Alerts System, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Univ. of Hawai'i, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA (URL: http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/).

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Curtis Island.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

02/2009 (BGVN 34:02) Acoustic data indicates possible nearby volcanic activity




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


February 2009 (BGVN 34:02) Citation IconCite this Report

Acoustic data indicates possible nearby volcanic activity

Olivier Hyvernaud reported that recent T-phase waves, recorded by the Laboratoire de Géophysique in Tahiti, originated from near Curtis Island (figure 1) and had waveforms suggesting a volcanic origin. The first of these hydroacoustic waves recorded on the Polynesian seismic network were a brief swarm of seven short strong events on 17 January 2009. On that day the network received the signals between 1706 and 1717 UTC. In addition, a single event was received 19 January 2009 at 0753 UTC. The best preliminary location for these events was 30.49°S, 178.55°W, a position 5-6 km NNE of Curtis Island and well within the area of the larger caldera structure.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Satellite imagery showing Curtis and Cheeseman Islands (inset) along the Kermadec Island chain north of New Zealand. Curtis Island is approximately 900 km NE of New Zealand. Volcano locations from GVP database. Inset map image acquired 10-11 May 2006 by DigitalGlobe. Imagery courtesy of Google Earth.

On the New Zealand GNS Science website there is a brief discussion and two photos of Curtis Island, noting a short visit there, thermal activity, nearby mineral-rich volcanoes, and that it lies adjacent to a chain of submarine volcanoes (eg. Smith, 1988). They also stated "The benefit in studying this remote outcrop is the insight it gives into the composition of these underwater vents, while being relatively straightforward to measure in comparison."

On 1 April 2009 Brad Scott (GNS) added that they were not aware of any activity at this time. The island is remote and GNS personnel do not visit on a regular basis. The activity on the island is solfataric. He also noted that the island is composed of pyroclastic-flow (ignimbrites) deposits from an unknown nearby source.

No thermal alerts have been measured by the MODVOLC system for Curtis Island since at least the beginning of 2004 and through 1 April 2009.

References. Smith, I., 1988, The geochemistry of rock and water samples from Curtis Island volcano, Kermadec group, southwest Pacific: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 34, no. 3-4, p. 233-240.

Information Contacts: GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Private Bag 2000, Taupo 3352, New Zealand (URL: http://www.gns.cri.nz/); Olivier Hyvernaud, Laboratoire de Géophysique, Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA/DASE/LDG), PO Box 640, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia; Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) Thermal Alerts System, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Univ. of Hawai'i, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA (URL: http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/).

The Global Volcanism Program has no synonyms or subfeatures listed for Curtis Island.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 0 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 2009 Jan 18 - 2009 Jan 19 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain Episode 5-6 km NNE of Curtis Island
2009 Jan 18 - 2009 Jan 19 Evidence from Unknown
 Olivier Hyvernaud reported that T-phase signals were recorded by the Laboratoire de Géophysique in Tahiti, with waveforms suggesting a volcanic source, originated from near Curtis Island. The first of these hydroacoustic waves recorded on the seismic network were a brief swarm of seven short strong events between 1706 and 1717 on 17 January 2009 (UTC). In addition, a single event was received at 0753 on 19 January 2009 (UTC). The best preliminary location for these events was 30.49°S, 178.55°W, a position 5-6 km NNE of Curtis Island and well within the area of the larger caldera structure.

List of 1 Events for Episode 1 at 5-6 km NNE of Curtis Island

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
2009 Jan 18    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1936 Jun 18 - 1936 Dec ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain Episode
1936 Jun 18 - 1936 Dec Evidence from Unknown
 On 18 June 1936 a yacht passed through water near Curtis Island discolored by a "spongy sort of sulfur" attributed to a submarine eruption. The yacht may have been as far as 70 km away from the island at the time of the June observation, sighting Macauley Island (35 km N of Curtis) two hours later, and the sulfur raft cannot unequivocably be attributed to Curtis volcano (Lloyd, 1992). In December 1936 a vessel passed through "a volcanic disturbance with clouds of sulfurous fumes" off Curtis Island (Doyle et al., 1979); the sulfurous smell detected in December is not considered to represent unusual activity.

[ 1899 ] Discredited Eruption

Dense volumes of smoke and steam were reported to be continually issuing from the crater of Curtis Island as seen from the G.S. Hinemoa (Doyle et al., 1979). This event apparently produced no noticeable changes to the crater floor and is unlikely to have resulted from an eruption (Lloyd, 1992).

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Curtis Island.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Curtis Island.

GVP Map Holdings

The Global Volcanism Program has no maps available for Curtis Island.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Curtis Island in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites