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Emuruangogolak

Shield volcano · Kenya · 1285m

The broad Emuruangogolak shield volcano is situated at a narrow constriction in the East African Rift. The volcano is capped by a 5 x 3.5 km wide summit caldera. The trachytic lava cone of Emuruepoli and its associated dome are visible on the N rim of the caldera. Since caldera formation about 38,000 years ago, trachytic and basaltic lava flows have been erupted within the caldera and on the flanks. The latest eruption occurred less than one hundred years ago.
The broad Emuruangogolak shield volcano is situated at a narrow constriction in the East African Rift. The volcano is capped by a 5 x 3.5 km wide summit caldera. The trachytic lava cone of Emuruepoli and its associated dome are visible on the N rim of the caldera. Since caldera formation about 38,000 years ago, trachytic and basaltic lava flows have been erupted within the caldera and on the flanks. The latest eruption occurred less than one hundred years ago. · Photo: Photo by Martin Smith, 1993 (copyright British Geological Survey, NERC).
Type
Shield volcano
Country
Kenya
Region
Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions / Kenyan Rift Volcanic Province
Elevation
1285m
Coordinates
1.500, 36.330
Last eruption
1910
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Geological summary

The broad Emuruangogolak shield volcano is situated at a narrow constriction in the Gregory Rift and almost completely straddles it. A 5 x 3.5 km summit caldera formed about 38,000 years ago. Since then trachytic and basaltic lava flows were erupted on the northern and southern flanks and within the caldera. A NNE-SSW-trending chain of lake-filled basaltic maars extends along the floor of the rift from the lower flanks of the volcano. Young lava flows were also erupted from vents along rift valley faults. Well-preserved cones erupted along rift-parallel faults cutting the volcano; the latest eruption produced a trachytic lava flow dated from secular magnetic variation measurements at about the beginning of the 20th century. Fumarolic activity and hot steaming ground occurs along NNE-trending fissures within the caldera and along the lower NW flanks.

From Wikipedia

Emuruangogolak is an active shield volcano straddling the Gregory Rift in Kenya, in Eastern Africa. It has a 3.5-by-5.0-kilometre caldera on its summit. The last known eruption was a trachyte flow which occurred in 1910. Steam vents and fumarolic activity continues from fissures within the caldera and along the flanks of the volcano. Several maar lakes exist in the rift valley adjacent to the volcano. The volcano's summit is at an elevation of 1,285 metres (4,216 ft), and its formation is calculated to have been 38,000 years ago.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
8050 BCE~7718 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?6722 BCE~6390 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?914~1246 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 01246~1578 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 01578~1910 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 08050 BCE5726 BCE3070 BCE746 BCE1578

Detailed timeline

  1. 1910 (±50 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1910 – Ongoing
    South caldera rim
  2. 1700 (±100 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1700 – Ongoing
    South caldera rim
  3. 1300 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1300 – Ongoing
    NE flank
  4. 1230 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1230 – Ongoing
    NE flank
  5. 1160 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1160 – Ongoing
    NE flank
  6. 1120 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1120 – Ongoing
    North flank
  7. 6550 BCE (±1500 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 6550 – Ongoing
    North flank
  8. 8050 BCE (±1000 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 8050 – Ongoing
    North flank

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.