Cook volcano is an alleged active submarine volcano in the Western Solomons, whose existence is questionable and not accepted by Smithsonian's Global Volcanism database, although it is listed as one of the 4 active volcanoes (Savo, Kavachi, Cook and Tinakula) of the Solomon Islands in the 1957 "Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes of the World" by Fischer. These are Savo, Kavachi, Cook and Tinakula. . Possible eruptions of the Cook volcano occurred in 1964 and 1991, and were reported by Australian navy.

The Australian research vessel HMAS Cook reported the discovery of a previously unknown submarine volcano in the region in December 1963.

According to commander Hunt, there was an eruption half a year later on 25 May 1964. 2 locals in a boat were said to have observed a "mountain of black water", smoke that rose above the sea, and a large stained area of the sea. Large pumice clasts were washed ashore on nearby Munda Island.



A second eruption was reported by pilots of an Australian High Commissioner helicopter on 4 May 1991. According to volcanolive.com who probably quotes from an unknown Australian source, they saw "lava and ash erupting to form black material above the surface. ... An island formed 300 m x 150 m, 30 m high. It contained a 50 m diameter lava pond. Activity at Cook continued until 13 May."



Sources:

- volcanolive.com/cook.html (VolcanoLive: Cook Volcano)

- Fisher, N.H. (1957) "Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes and Solfatara

fields of Melanesia." "Catalogue of the active Volcanoes of the

World, Part IV Melanesia.", Naples, Italy

- Exon N F, Johnson R W (1986) "The elusive Cook volcano and other submarine forearc volcanoes in the Solomon Islands." Aust Bur Min Resour Geol Geophys J, v. 10, pp. 77-83

- Exon N F, Johnson R W (1989) "Reply: The elusive Cook volcano and other submarine forearc volcanoes in the Solomon Islands." Aust Bur Min Resour Geol Geophys J, v 11, pp. 121