Vailulu

Name

Vailulu

Depth

590 meters

Height

4200 meters

Type

Submarine volcano

Location

Samoan Islands

Status

Historical

Eruption

2003 ± 2 years

Description

A massive volcanic seamount, not discovered until 1975, about one-third of the way between Tau and Rose islands at the eastern end of the American Samoas. The basaltic seamount named Vailuluu, is considered to mark the current location of the Samoan hotspot. The summit of Vailulu contains a 2 kilometers wide, 400 meters deep oval shaped caldera. Two principal rift zones extend east and west from the summit, parallel to the trend of the Samoan hotspot, and a third less prominent rift extends SE of the summit.