If Rangitoto were to erupt, what sort of eruption would it be?

Liz

Rangitoto was not a very explosive volcano when it erupted in the past so there's no reason to think it would be again. Instead, it would be quiet effusion of lava flows with maybe a little bit of fountaining going on at the summit. But...Rangitoto is part of what is called a "monogenetic field". This means that each vent of the field really only erupts once (although that "once" might last some tens of years). If that is the correct interpretation then Rangitoto won't erupt again. But maybe a new member of the Auckland monogenetic field will pop up nearby - that's always a possibility.

Sincerely,
Scott Rowland

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