Abstract
Seamount eruptions alter the bathymetry and can occur undetected due to lack of explosive character. We review documented eruptions to define whether they could be detected by a future satellite gravity mission. We adopt the noise level in acquisitions of multi-satellite constellations as in the MOCAST+ study, with a proposed payload of a quantum technology gradiometer and clock. The review of underwater volcanoes includes the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) islands for which the exposed surface changed during volcanic unrests of 2014/2015 and 2021/2022. The Fani Maoré submarine volcanic eruption of 2018–2021 produced a new seamount 800 m high, emerging from a depth of 3500 m, and therefore not seen above sea surface. We review further documented submarine eruptions and estimate the upper limit of the expected gravity changes. We find that a MOCAST+ type mission should allow us to detect the subsurface mass changes generated by deep ocean submarine volcanic activity for volume changes of 6.5 km 3 upwards, with latency of 1 year. This change is met by the HTHH and Fani Maoré volcanoes.