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Farallon de Pajaros

Stratovolcano · United States · 337m

The 2-km-wide island of Farallon de Pajaros is the northernmost and most active volcano of the Mariana Islands. It has been referred to as the "Lighthouse of the western Pacific." The symmetrical, sparsely vegetated cone formed within a caldera, remnants of which form the peak seen here in 1980 in the center along the SE coast. Both summit and flank vents have been active during historical time; flank fissures formed lava flows along the coast.
The 2-km-wide island of Farallon de Pajaros is the northernmost and most active volcano of the Mariana Islands. It has been referred to as the "Lighthouse of the western Pacific." The symmetrical, sparsely vegetated cone formed within a caldera, remnants of which form the peak seen here in 1980 in the center along the SE coast. Both summit and flank vents have been active during historical time; flank fissures formed lava flows along the coast. · Photo: Photo by Winfrey, 1980 (U.S. Navy). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
United States
Region
Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Mariana Volcanic Arc
Elevation
337m
Coordinates
20.546, 144.893
Last eruption
1953
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Crustal thickness unknown
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

The small 2-km-wide island of Farallon de Pajaros (also known as Uracas) is the northernmost and most active volcano of the Mariana Islands. Its relatively frequent eruptions dating back to the mid-19th century have caused the andesitic volcano to be referred to as the "Lighthouse of the western Pacific." The symmetrical, sparsely vegetated summit is the central cone within a small caldera cutting an older edifice, remnants of which are seen on the SE and southern sides near the coast. Flank fissures have fed lava flows that form platforms along the coast. Eruptions have been recorded from both summit and flank vents.

From Wikipedia

Farallón de Pájaros, also known as Urracas, is a small (2.3 km2) uninhabited volcanic island, the northernmost island and also farthest west in the Northern Mariana Islands chain.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
1864~1873 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 21873~1882 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21899~1908 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21908~1917 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21917~1926 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21926~1934 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 21934~1943 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 21943~1952 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 218641882190819261943

Detailed timeline

  1. 1952VEI 2Observed
    1952-10-26 – 1953-04-15
    Summit, east side
  2. 1951VEI 2Observed
    1951-08-16 – Ongoing
  3. 1947VEI 0Observed
    1947-01 – Ongoing
    North side
  4. 1943VEI 2Observed
    1943 – Ongoing
    Summit, south side
  5. 1941VEI 1Observed
    1941-03-28 – Ongoing
  6. 1939VEI 1Observed
    1939 – Ongoing
    East side ?
  7. 1936VEI 1Observed
    1936-04-15 – Ongoing
  8. 1934VEI ?Observed
    1934 – Ongoing
  9. 1932VEI 2Observed
    1932-09-07 – 1932-10-07
    Summit, east side ?
  10. 1928VEI 2Observed
    1928-12-15 – Ongoing
  11. 1925VEI 2Observed
    1925 – Ongoing
  12. 1912VEI 2Observed
    1912 – Ongoing
    North side ?
  13. 1901VEI 2Geological estimate
    1901-01 – 1902-12
    Summit, east side
  14. 1876VEI 2Observed
    1876-01-01 – 1876-01-03
    Summit, NE side
  15. 1872VEI 2Observed
    1872-07-11 – Ongoing
  16. 1864VEI 2Observed
    1864-01-07 – Ongoing
    SW side

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.