Home Reef

{{Short description|Ephemeral island in the South Pacific}}

{{Infobox Seamount

| name = Home Reef

| depth = {{convert|-10|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}{{cite gvp|vn=243080 |name=Home Reef |accessdate=2017-02-28}}

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| map =

| pushpin_map = Tonga

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| image = Home reef.jpg

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| image_caption = Aster simulated natural-color image. The two bluish plumes are hot seawater laden with volcanic ash and chemicals. The plumes can be traced for almost {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east.

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| location = Home Reef is located between Metis Shoal and Late Island, Tonga

| group =

| coordinates = {{coord|18|59|28|S|174|45|47|W|type:mountain_region:TO|display=inline,title}}

| country = Tonga

| type = Seamount

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| age =

| last_eruption = September 23, 2023 (ongoing)

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}}

Home Reef is a volcanic island atop a submarine volcano in Tonga. It is located southwest of Vava'u, between the islands of Kao and Late along the Tofua volcanic arc. The island is ephemeral, and has been repeatedly built and eroded by successive eruptions in 1852, 1857, 1984, 2006, 2022, and 2023.

An eruption in 1984 built a small, temporary island {{convert|1500x500|m}}, as well as pumice rafts which washed up as far away as Fiji and Australia.{{cite journal |title=Satellite Observations of New Volcanic Island in Tonga |last1=Vaughan |first1=R. Greg |last2=Abrams |first2=Michael |last3=Hook |first3=Simon J. |last4=Pieri |first4=David |journal=Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union |volume=88 |issue=4 |year=2007 |pages=37, 41 |doi=10.1029/2007EO040002|bibcode=2007EOSTr..88...37V }} The island washed away within a few months.{{cite news |url=https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/tongas-ephemeral-island/ |title=Tonga's ephemeral island |work=New Zealand Geographic |issue=84 |author=Anna Keating |date=March 2007 |access-date=17 September 2022}}

File:Dacite pumice (August 2006 eruption of Home Reef Volcano, Tofua Volcanic Arc, central Tonga Islands, sw Pacific Ocean; collected at beach in northern Fiji Islands) 2.jpg pumice (2006 eruption; collected at a beach in northern Fiji Islands)]]

After a volcanic eruption started on 8 August 2006, Home Reef emerged as an island; that eruption also spewed into Tongan waters large amounts of floating pumice, which swept across to Fiji about {{convert|350|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the west of the new island.{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_696.html |title=Home Reef Reborn |publisher=NASA |date=24 May 2008 |access-date=17 September 2022}} In October 2006, it reached almost the same size as it did in 1984, when it was about {{convert|0.5|x|1.5|km|1|abbr=in}}. The island was first seen by the crew of a yacht, who recorded its emergence in their blog.{{cite web |url=http://yacht-maiken.blogspot.com/2006/08/stone-sea-and-volcano.html |title=Stone sea and volcano |work=Fredrik and Crew on Maiken |publisher=Blogger |date=2006-08-17 |access-date=2006-11-28}} The eruptions produced extensive rafts of pumice, which drifted northeast from the new island. The pumice rafts and new island were imaged by the Aqua satellite in August 2006.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=NASA Earth Observatory|url=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17461 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117034346/http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17461 |archive-date=17 November 2006 }} Images also revealed several small hot crater lakes on the newly formed island.

File:20220917 HomeReefVolcano (1).jpg

The volcano erupted again in September 2022.{{cite web |url=https://matangitonga.to/2022/09/17/home-reef-volcanic-activity-increasing-island-re-emerges |title=Home Reef Volcanic activity increasing as island re-emerges |publisher=Matangi Tonga |date=17 September 2022 |access-date=17 September 2022}} Eruptions began on 10 September, and by 17 September had built an island with an area of {{convert|6|acres}} and an elevation of {{convert|10|m}} above sea level.{{cite web |url=https://bgr.com/science/nasas-earth-observatory-spots-newly-birthed-island-in-the-pacific/ |title=NASA's Earth Observatory spots newly birthed island in the Pacific |publisher=BGR |author=Joshua Hawkins |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=24 September 2022}} On 20 September the Tonga Geological Services warned of ash to a height of {{convert|3|km}}, drifting up to {{convert|50|km}} northwards and {{convert|70|km}} eastwards.{{cite web |url=https://matangitonga.to/2022/09/20/home-reef-volcano-new-ash-eruption-low-risk-vavau-and-haapai |title=Home Reef Volcano new ash eruption low risk to Vava'u and Ha'apai |publisher=Matangi Tonga |date=20 September 2022 |access-date=20 September 2022}} On 23 September 2022 the island was reported to have grown to {{convert|8|acres}} in size,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/475331/volcanic-tongan-island-keeps-on-growing |title=Volcanic Tongan island keeps on growing |publisher=RNZ |date=23 September 2022 |access-date=23 September 2022}} estimated at {{convert|8.6|acres}} the following day.{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/09/25/1125010785/tonga-new-island-volcano |last=Hernandez |first=Joe |language=en-US |publisher=NPR |title=A new island has emerged out of the Pacific Ocean, but it may soon disappear |date=25 September 2022 |access-date=25 September 2022}} On 25 September, the island had an elevation of {{convert|15|m}} above sea level.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/300697321/new-island-emerges-from-the-ocean-after-underwater-eruption-near-tonga |title=New island emerges from the ocean after underwater eruption near Tonga |publisher=Stuff |date=25 September 2022 |author=Ella Morgan |access-date=25 September 2022}} By 3 October it had grown to {{convert|15|acres}} in size.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/475951/home-reef-volcano-activity-non-threatening-says-tonga-s-geological-services |title=Home Reef volcano activity non-threatening says Tonga's Geological Services |publisher=RNZ |date=3 October 2022 |access-date=3 October 2022}} The eruption ended on 17 October.{{cite web |url=https://matangitonga.to/2022/10/22/hazard-zone-lifted-landing-prohibited-home-reef-island |title= Hazard zone lifted but landing prohibited on Home Reef island |publisher=Matangi Tonga |date=22 October 2022 |access-date=22 October 2022}}

On the 23 of September, 2023, satellites spotted heat sources and a plume of volcanic gas coming from the island. As of October 1, 2023, the eruption is still going and is likely to continue and grow the island.