Undersea Volcanic Eruption Forms New Island off Japan's Coast; Survival Uncertain Due to Erosion and Subsiding Activity

Newly formed island, located 745 miles south of Tokyo and half a mile off Iwo Jima, is the result of a series of underwater eruptions that began in late October; experts monitor the region to determine if the island, currently shrinking due to subsiding volcanic activity and wave erosion, will become a permanent addition to Japan's map.

The new island emerged off the coast of Japan following a series of underwater volcanic eruptions near the Ogasawara island chain, approximately 745 miles south of Tokyo and half a mile off Iwo Jima.
The island, which initially grew to around 330 feet in diameter and 66 feet above sea level, has begun to shrink due to subsiding volcanic activity and wave erosion.
The island's survival is uncertain and depends on whether it is made of more durable material like lava, as opposed to crumbly volcanic rocks and pumice which are easily eroded by waves.
The formation of new islands due to undersea volcanic activity is not uncommon for Japan, which is one of the most seismically active countries in the world with over 100 active volcanoes.
The island was spotted by a NASA satellite, Landsat-9, which captured images of the island's formation from its position 438 miles above Earth.
Experts are currently monitoring the region to determine whether the island will become a permanent addition to Japan's map or disappear due to erosion and subsiding volcanic activity.