Research: Tatun Volcano and Guishan Island Of Taiwan Are Active Volcanoes

According to a long term study from researchers at Academia Sinica’s institute of Earth Sciences, the Tatun Volcano group and Guishan Island are active volcanoes. In addition, the researchers discovered a volcanic pulse in Taipei’s Yangmingshan.


The researchers sets up various real-time volcanic monitoring system to study in long term. For a volcano to be active, it must have erupted in the past 10,000 years and have a magma chamber underneath. Both Tatun Volcano group and guishan Island have magma chamber.

A periodic seismic activity in Dayoukeng area of Yangmingshan makes it also an active one where a seismic occurs once every 18minutes in the area.

Tatun Volcano Group (Image: Wikepedia)

If Tatun volcanoes will erupt, Yangminshan, Shilin, Tianmu and Beitou districts will be the most affected. If so, earthquakes with over 6.0 in magnitude will follow according to the researchers. While the Guishan Island will hit the flat plains of Yilan.

Guishan Island or Turtle Island near Yilan

An advanced warning can be made within few weeks or a maximum of 2 months to prepare for evacuation. Signs of eruptions includes intensive earthquakes, deformation of terrain, volcanic gases and rising surface temperature.

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