Volcanoes of Samoa – Part 1 of 2

Google Maps screen capture of the Samoan Islands. The two main islands of the nation of Samoa are clearly visible left of center, Savai’i and Upolu. The main islands of American Samoa also visible, the American Samoa label is hiding Tuluila. To its east are Ofu – Olosega, Ta’u and the Vailulu’u seamount. Sea floors are up to 5,000 under the island chain. Multiple seamounts, some related, some not, are visible. The curved structure in the lower right is the transition of the Kermadec – Tonga Trench into the Vitaz Trench, a source of significant tectonic stress in the region.

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