Although Meiji is the oldest extant seamount in the Hawaii - Emperor chain , the question of whether there were older seamounts in the chain which have already been subducted into the trench remains open .
Is the subject of ongoing scientific research .
Although Meiji is the oldest extant seamount in the Hawaii - Emperor chain , the question of whether there were older seamounts in the chain which have already been subducted into the trench remains open , and is the subject of ongoing scientific research .