All trenches
PacificSubduction trench
Tonga Trench
South Pacific, east of Tonga
The second-deepest trench and the fastest-converging plate boundary on Earth.
Max depth
10,882 m
Length
860 km
Deepest point
Horizon Deep
First explored
1952
Timeline
Exploration
- 1952Horizon Deep identified by the Scripps expedition.
- 2019First crewed dive to Horizon Deep.
Abyssal fauna
Life at pressure
SnailfishAmphipodsSea cucumbersPolychaete worms
Hadal communities here are dominated by scavenging crustaceans.
Science
Scientific facts
- Plates converge at up to 24 cm per year.
- Home to some of the most active deep earthquakes.
Seafloor geology
Rock & structure
- Andesitic and boninite volcanic rock
- Subducting Pacific oceanic crust
- Seamount debris