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Lake Towada

Towada

Caldera · Japan · 1011m

The 11-km-wide lake-filled Towada caldera, whose far northern wall is seen here in the distance, formed during a series of major explosive eruptions over a 40,000-year period ending about 13,000 years ago. The peninsula across the center is the rim of Nakanoumi caldera that formed by the collapse of the Goshikiiwa cone. The Ogurayama dome to the upper right was the source of the 915 CE eruption.
The 11-km-wide lake-filled Towada caldera, whose far northern wall is seen here in the distance, formed during a series of major explosive eruptions over a 40,000-year period ending about 13,000 years ago. The peninsula across the center is the rim of Nakanoumi caldera that formed by the collapse of the Goshikiiwa cone. The Ogurayama dome to the upper right was the source of the 915 CE eruption. · Photo: Photo by Yukio Hayakawa (Gunma University). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Caldera
Country
Japan
Region
Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Northeast Japan Volcanic Arc
Elevation
1011m
Coordinates
40.510, 140.880
Last eruption
915
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Caldera
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

The lake-filled, 11-km-wide, Towada caldera in northern Honshu formed during as many as six major explosive eruptions over a 40,000-year period ending about 13,000 years ago. Pre-caldera eruptive activity dates back about 2 million years and produced basaltic-to-dacitic lava cones. Following late-Pleistocene andesitic-to-rhyolitic caldera-forming eruptions, the basaltic Ninokura stratovolcano grew in the SSE section of the caldera. Successive dacitic-to-rhyolitic explosive eruptions from the Goshikiiwa cone led to the formation of the roughly 2-km-wide Nakanoumi caldera, whose SW and NE rims form peninsulas extending into Lake Towada. The andesitic-to-dacitic Ogurayama lava dome was built over the NE rim of Nakanoumi. The latest eruption took place in 915 CE, when eruptions from Ogurayama produced widespread ashfall and pyroclastic flows.

From Wikipedia

Lake Towada is the largest crater lake in Honshū island, Japan. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters (1,312 ft) above sea level and is 327 m (1,073 ft) deep, drained by the Oirase River. With a surface area of 61.1 km2 (23.6 sq mi), Towada is Japan's 12th largest lake; its bright blue color is due to its great depth. The lake is roughly circular, with two peninsulas extending from its southern shore approximately one-third into the center of the lake. The lake is a popular tourist destination.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
9490 BCE~9143 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 38449 BCE~8103 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 57409 BCE~7062 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 56368 BCE~6022 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 45675 BCE~5328 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 34287 BCE~3941 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 5819 BCE~472 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4568~915 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 59490 BCE7062 BCE4287 BCE1860 BCE568

Detailed timeline

  1. 915VEI 5Observed
    915-08-17 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa (NE rim Nakanoumi crater)
  2. 750 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 750 – Ongoing
    Nakanoumi
  3. 4150 BCEVEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 4150 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa (Nakanoumi)
  4. 5550 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 5550 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa
  5. 6250 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 6250 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa
  6. 7250 BCEVEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 7250 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa
  7. 8250 BCEVEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 8250 – Ongoing
    Goshikiiwa
  8. 9490 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 9490 – Ongoing
    Nakanoumi

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.