Mount Meru
Meru
Stratovolcano · Tanzania · 4550m

- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Country
- Tanzania
- Region
- Eastern Africa / Kenyan Rift Volcanic Province
- Elevation
- 4550m
- Coordinates
- -3.244, 36.750
- Last eruption
- 1910
- Tectonic setting
- Rift zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
- Landform
- Composite
- Major rock type
- Phonolite
Geological summary
Meru has a conical profile when viewed from the west, but there is a 4-km-wide collapse crater to the E. The summit collapse is associated with the early Holocene Momella event that resulted in debris avalanche and lahar deposits as far as the W flank of Kilimanjaro. Cones and lava domes are located on all sides; a maar field is present on the lower N flank. Activty from the Ash Cone, inside the open crater, was reported around 1878 and in 1910 CE. A second vent between it and the headwall produced lava flows that cover much of the caldera floor. Kisaka et al. (2021) identified three late Pleistocene explosive eruptions during 31-38 ka BP (cal 14C).
Eruption history
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
Detailed timeline
- 1910VEI 2Observed1910-10-26 – 1910-12-22Ash Cone
- 1886VEI 0Observed1886-07-02 – OngoingDome NW of Ash Cone
- 1878 (±1 yrs)VEI 2Observed1878-07-02 – OngoingDome NW of Ash Cone
- 5850 BCEVEI 4Geological estimateBCE 5850 – Ongoing
External links
⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.