Skip to main content
← Back to map
⇄ Compare

Ithnayn, Harrat

Volcanic field · Saudi Arabia · 1625m

The 4,000 km2 Harrat Ithnayn volcanic field appears in the center of this Space Shuttle image with north to the upper right. Harrat Ithnayn contains scattered shield volcanoes and scoria cones that have produced extensive lava flows, some of which are less than 4,500 years old. Harrat Ithnayn merges with the larger Harrat Khaybar volcanic field to its south, the dark partially cloud-covered area at the lower left.
The 4,000 km2 Harrat Ithnayn volcanic field appears in the center of this Space Shuttle image with north to the upper right. Harrat Ithnayn contains scattered shield volcanoes and scoria cones that have produced extensive lava flows, some of which are less than 4,500 years old. Harrat Ithnayn merges with the larger Harrat Khaybar volcanic field to its south, the dark partially cloud-covered area at the lower left. · Photo: NASA Space Shuttle image STS-61A-483-20 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Volcanic field
Country
Saudi Arabia
Region
Arabia-Central Asia Volcanic Regions / Western Arabia Volcanic Province
Elevation
1625m
Coordinates
26.580, 40.200
Last eruption
Unknown
Tectonic setting
Intraplate / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Cluster
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

The 4000 km2 Harrat Ithnayn volcanic field contains scattered shield volcanoes and scoria cones. It merges with the much larger Harrat Khaybar volcanic field to the south. The field overlies Cambrian sandstones and Precambrian basement rocks. Vents form a general N-S pattern, but are more scattered than those of Harrat Khaybar. Harrat Ithnayn rocks are of basaltic and basanitic composition and lack the silicic components present in neighboring Harrat Khaybar. The youngest lava flows from Harrat Ithnayn are less than 4500 years old. An uncertain report of an historical eruption in 1800 CE is considered unlikely by Camp et al. (1991), who mapped no eruptive products younger than about 1500 years.

Eruption history

Detailed timeline

No eruption records available.

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.