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Alu

Alu-Dalafilla

Fissure vent · Ethiopia · 578m

The steep-sided, conical Dalafilla volcano rises 300 m above surrounding lava fields of Alu volcano in the foreground in this view from the NW. This morphology, unusual for the Erta Ale Range volcanoes, results from the extrusion of viscous, silicic lava flows. These silicic flows extend primarily to the east from the 613-m-high summit. On the western side they are blocked by walls of a horst structure along the crest of the Erta Ale Range that forms the linear ridge in the right side of the photo.
The steep-sided, conical Dalafilla volcano rises 300 m above surrounding lava fields of Alu volcano in the foreground in this view from the NW. This morphology, unusual for the Erta Ale Range volcanoes, results from the extrusion of viscous, silicic lava flows. These silicic flows extend primarily to the east from the 613-m-high summit. On the western side they are blocked by walls of a horst structure along the crest of the Erta Ale Range that forms the linear ridge in the right side of the photo. · Photo: Copyrighted photo by Marco Fulle, 2002 (Stromboli On-Line, http://stromboli.net). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Fissure vent
Country
Ethiopia
Region
Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions / Afar Rift Volcanic Province
Elevation
578m
Coordinates
13.793, 40.553
Last eruption
2008
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Intermediate crust (15-25 km)
Landform
Cluster
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

The summit region of Alu, ~5 km NW of the Dalafilla stratovolcano, is an ellipsoidal volcanic horst, elongated NNW-SSE, and formed primarily of older basaltic lava flows. Recent fractures along the axis of the Erta Ale range cut the main horst of Alu and areas to the SSE. Fumarolic activity is located on the numerous parallel faults. Fissure vents west of the horst have fed silicic lava flows, and voluminous youthful basaltic lava flows to the east extend north as far as Lake Bakili. Dalafilla, also referred to as Gabuli, is a steep-sided cone that rises 300 m above surrounding lava fields due to extrusion of viscous, silicic lava flows. Basaltic lava flows from regional fissures surround the volcano. Fumarolic activity occurs in the 100-m-wide summit crater and has weathered surrounding lava flows. The first historical eruption of Alu-Dalafilla took place in 2008, when lava flows from vents between the two edifices traveled NE.

From Wikipedia

Alu is a system of volcanic fissures, located in Ethiopia. The fissures have produced silicic lava flows, and other fissures south of the volcano have been the source of huge youthful basaltic lava flows, which enlarge to the north as far as Lake Bakili. There is major fumarolic activity, located on parallel faults, some with 100-m uplifts.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
2008~2008 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 320082008200920092009

Detailed timeline

  1. 2008VEI 3Observed
    2008-11-03 – 2008-12-16
    W and NW of Dalaffilla

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.