New island near Iwo Jima made by explosive underwater volcano eruption

This news rocks.

A new mass of land was recently formed off the shores of Japan after an explosive underwater volcano activated at the end of October, according to researchers from the University of Tokyo.

The magma-made island — about a kilometer off Iwo Jima, a famous region far south of the nation’s mainland that’s known for its siege at the end of World War II — was believed to have formed on Oct. 30.

Phreatomagmatic explosions, the technical term for when intense magma ejections interact with water, were seen along with lava jetting more than 50 meters into the air, the scientists reported.

“A new island was formed just north of the explosion site,” a translation of the university report read, noting the new terrain was 100 meters in diameter and was “consisting mainly of rock blocks.”

The discovery indicates that Iwo Jima, which translates to “sulfur island,” has resumed volcanic activity. It was last notably active in 1982, according to Oregon State University. Last year, eruptions were also recorded in the immediate vicinity of this newly sculpted island, researchers added.

Its most recent volcanic activity was believed to have begun on Oct. 21, per the Japan Meteorological Agency.

But the show carried on for some time.

“On November 3 when I flew over, the eruption style had changed, with reddish brown volcanic ash and volcanic bombs had exploded repeatedly from inside the crater,” University of Tokyo volcanology professor Setsuya Nakada told Newsweek.

“Volcanic ash and bombs reached ejected masses as high as 100 meters above, and they collapsed and returned to the crater, then an ash cloud laterally moved from the crater even on the sea surface,” he continued. “This phenomenon indicates that the magma was able to reach the sea surface without any contact with sea water.”

The new land mass — now part of the Ogasawara Islands, which is erupting in two locations — could be shifting in size as activity continues.

“The depth of sea bottom when the eruption started last year was as shallow as 50 meters,” Nakada added.

“About 10 days after the resumption of its phreatomagmatic eruption the accumulation of erupted materials … on the sea bottom and the top reached the sea surface,” he said. “By continuation of such the phreatomagmatic eruption, the islet increased its size.”

Nakada told the Japan Times that if the island continues its expansion, it could possibly merge with Iwo Jima. An island merged with the Ogasawara chain in a similar manner 10 years ago, according to the expert.

“The areas that don’t have lava could be scraped away. So if more and more lava comes out, and covers the area, I think that part will remain forever,” he said of the newest isle.