List of seamounts in the Marshall Islands


The Marshall Islands are the site of a number of seamounts. These volcanoes form several groups, including the Ralik Chain, the Ratak Chain and some seamounts around Anewetak. These seamounts are in turn part of a larger province that extends from the South Pacific to the Mariana Trench and is characterized by unusually shallow ocean ground.
These seamounts and volcanoes do not have simple hotspot-like age progressions, with some volcanoes being younger than one would expect from age progression and having more than one active episode. In some places, a middle Cretaceous and a late Cretaceous episode of volcanic activity have been determined by radiometric dating. Despite this, some hotspot-based genesis models have been formulated, often implying that French Polynesian hotspots are responsible for the formation of seamounts, with the Society hotspot, Rurutu hotspot, Rarotonga hotspot and the Macdonald hotspot being candidate hotspots responsible for the development of the Marshall Islands seamounts. Such linkages are in part supported by geochemical data. Some discrepancies between the age and position of such seamounts and the predictions of the hotspot model may reflect the activity of short-lived hotspots linked to large mantle plumes that produce more than one hotspot.
NameOther namesEtymologyCoordinatesDepth below sea levelAgeVolumeDetails
Aean̄-KaņMarovoiyA taboo fishing spot at EniwetokMid-Cretaceous.Since the Eocene manganese nodules developed on the seamount, which may have been created by the Macdonald hotspot.
Neen-KoiaakAccording to legend, the fastest runner in the Marshall Islands102 million yearsSamples dredged from Neen-Koiaak include hawaiite containing clinopyroxene, olivine and plagioclase.
Wōd-Eņ RokSouth-Wod-EnA coral head76 million yearsWhile its position makes it a candidate member of the Ralik hotspot trail, it appears to be too old. There is some geochemical similarity to the Rurutu hotspot.
Wōd-Eņ Iōn̄North-Wod-En, NazimovaA coral head86 million yearsWhile its position makes it a candidate member of the Ralik hotspot trail, it appears to be too old. There is some geochemical similarity to the Rurutu hotspot.
ĻewaA person who received canoe building knowledge, one of the first two100 million yearsPart of the Ralik Chain, Albian-age fossils have been dredged from this seamount.
ĻōbbadedeLobhadodeA chief from Bikini94 million yearsDepending on the plate reconstruction model chosen, Lobbadede appears to coincide with the location of the Macdonald hotspot. Limestone and fossils of Campanian-Cenomanian age have been found on Lobbadede, which appears to have had a second volcanic episode in the Cretaceous.
Wōden-KōpakutRatakA coral head85 million years or 82.2 ± 1.6 million yearsPart of the Ratak Chain with Limalok, it was also active during the late Cretaceous and has a well developed summit platform. One reconstruction of plate motion places Woden-Kopakut close to the Rurutu hotspot. Hawaiite has been dredged from the seamount and contains iron oxides, plagioclase and zeolites.
RadikA chief on Ujlan
ĻainjinA legendary navigator
ĻōjemejaA chief in UjlanSteep upper flanks, and a volcanic pinnacle is found between the summit and a sediment-covered terrace.
ĻamiAccording to legend an Eniwetok giant86 million yearsSlumps and terraces, terraces that appear to be congruent with these on Lomilik, surround this seamount. Its summit plateau is covered by sediments, sediment-filled basins and volcanic knolls.
Peto-EņA taboo channel at Eniwetok
LomilikA place at Eniwetok with good fishing opportunitiesThe summit has volcanic knobs and sediment-filled basins in between. The north flank has a terrace and the rest of the slopes is covered with slumps, talus and sediments.
LitōrmāluA legendary navigator
Ļo-WūliejA cape at Eniwetok
North ĻāānṃōjānjānReference to shipbuilding techniquesHas a rugged appearance with little sediment. It also features several terraces and two large slumps.
South ĻāānṃōjānjānReference to shipbuilding techniquesHas a rugged appearance with little sediment.
Bwewa KaņNamed after canoe keels88 million yearsPart of the Ralik Chain, may have been formed by a hotspot together with a stage of Wodejebato.
Lōjabōn-BarA strong traditional personage at Bikini
WōdejebatoSylvaniaBikini's most feared sea god82 million years
Look140 million years Look is the oldest known seamount.Flat-topped seamount that can be considered a guyot and is located between the Ratak Chain and the Ralik Chain, and fairly old. Its geochemistry is intermediate between these two chains as well, which may indicate that volcanism was strongly influenced by the crust. Look Seamount is dotted by volcanic cones and has a rilled appearance as well as slumps; the summit is covered by sediment that mostly buries small volcanic pinnacles and sediment-filled depressions.
Ruwitūn̄tūn̄66 million yearsFlat-topped seamount that can be considered a guyot; basins and volcanic knolls dot its summit platform and some pinnacles contain craters. Fossils indicate that Ruwituntun developed either during or before the Albian.
Ļāwūn-PikaarBikarLegendary chief in PikaarAnkaramite-like rock containing clinopyroxene and degradation products of olivine and mellilite has been dredged
Ļōkōto-N̄ōrn̄ōr
Jebo
PaliName given by the government of Micronesia.Probably CretaceousThe seamount is surrounded by a sediment cover and might feature slumps. Hyaloclastite and phosphorite have been dredged from it.
LikelepA site on Ujlan82 million yearsBiotite, hornblende and plagioclase have been dredged from Likelep, and the seamount is of Campanian age. Likelep may be part of a seamount trail and is part of the Ujlān volcanic complex. A sediment cap and volcanic structures are found on its top, with a volcanic cone protruding through the sediment. Slumps occur on its flanks and a seamount farther north is connected to Likelep.
LalibjetA sea god74 million yearsMay have been produced by the Rarotonga hotspot together with Eniwetok and is part of the Ujlān volcanic complex. Part of the sediment cap on its summit appears to have been removed by a slump.
UjlānUjelang80 million yearsSeamount with three separate summits. Ujlan may be part of a seamount trail and is part of the Ujlān volcanic complex. The southwestern flank has a terrace.
ĻōtabA descendant of Litōrmālu80 million yearsLotab may be part of a seamount trail and is part of the Ujlān volcanic complex; it also features traces of mass failures and on the northeastern flank it is connected to another seamount.
ĻajutōkwaA navigator81 million yearsLajutokwa may be part of a seamount trail and is part of the Ujlān volcanic complex.
Lo-EnHessNamed after the hibiscus tree113 million years
Mij-LepA gap between islands on Ujlan106 million yearsA number of pinnacles, including a flat topped one on the summit, cover Mij-Lep.
Ļemkein
Ļewōnjoui
ĻōkkwōrkwōrErikub87 million yearsAlkali basalts and hawaiite have been dredged, which contain clinopyroxene, olivine derivatives and plagioclase and show evidence of having been eroded above the water surface
Litakpooki
ṂaanjidepA chief from JalwojThe depth probably does not refer to the actual summit.
ĻoṃjenaelikA chief from Arno
ĻōmōļkāA chief from Mile
LimalokHarrieA chiefess from Mile68 million years