Geologic Background
Isolated Matthew Island is composed of two low
cones separated by a narrow isthmus. Matthew Island was
discovered in 1788 by a ship captain, who named the
island after the owner of his vessel. Only the triangular
eastern portion of the small, 0.6 x 1.2 km wide island
was present prior to the 1940's, when construction of the
larger western segment began; it consists primarily of
lava flows. The 177-m-high western cone contains a crater
that is breached to the NW and is filled by a lava flow
whose terminous forms the NW coast. Matthew lies near the
S end of the New Hebrides Trench and E of New Caledonia
Island. A line of active volcanoes runs nearly 1,500 km
to the NNW through Vanuatu to Tinakula.
Historic Activity:
- Eruptions in 1828, 1949, 1954-55, and 1966.
Recent Activity:
- Matthew Island erupted on Nov. 27, 1976 with a gray
eruption cloud that rose to about 350 m altitude.
Data Sources:
- Smithsonian's SEAN Bulletin (V. 1, No. 15 to V. 8,
No. 3).
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