A flight over White Island volcano in the Bay of Plenty reveals the activity of its crater, which expels gases and steam. Mount Gisborne is a 320 m high and 800°C hot lava dome that grows in the center of the volcano. White Island is the summit of a much larger submarine volcano located 48 km (30 mi) offshore, rising about 1600 m (5249 ft) above the sea floor.
Named Whakaari by the Māori, the volcano belongs to the Taupō volcanic chain. Continuous volcanic activity has produced andesitic rocks over the past 150,000 years. A bilious green lake filled with toxic chemicals from the Earth’s interior lies at the center of the volcano.
