It is the westernmost and oldest unsubducted seamount of the Louisville Ridge, with an estimated age of 78.8 ± 1.3 Ma.

[4] The trench-chain collision zone is moving southward at a rate of 200 km (120 mi)/Ma because of the oblique angle between the trench and the Louisville chain.

Whatever the area of subduction of the Louisville chain is associated with a relative seismic gap beneath the Tonga forearc.

[7] This implies that the subduction of the volcanoes compared to normal sediment has a significant impact in terms of normal relief of stress but it is unclear if the subducted volcanoes relieve it as suggested by some[8] or increase it.

Further the change in trend if the subducted Louisville chain compared to present is backed up by compositional analysis of recent arc volcanism as the volcanics from the Louisville chain are recycled.