Bayonnaise Rocks

An explosion from the Bayonnaise Rocks submarine volcano in Japan's central Izu Islands breaches the sea surface on September 23, 1952. These cockscomb-like projections of blocks and ash are characteristic of shallow submarine explosions. This photo was taken 5 seconds after the explosion penetrated the sea surface. Five minutes later the eruption was over and the sea was again calm. The suddeness of these powerful explosions proved to be fatal to 31 persons on a research vessel that sailed over the vent the following day.

Bayonnaise Rocks

Steam pours from the blocky summit of a lava dome formed at Myojinsho during a submarine eruption at the Bayonnaise Rocks volcano in 1952. This September 22 photo was taken six days after the dome began to breach the sea surface. Later that day the eruption became highly explosive, and the dome was destroyed. Three cycles of dome growth and destruction occurred until October 1953. Myojinsho is located on the eastern rim of a 7-9 km wide submarine caldera.