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Marchena Island

Marchena

Shield volcano · Ecuador · 343m

A large tuff cone rises near Punta Calle on the southern coast of Marchena Island beyond fresh-looking lava flows west of the cone in the foreground. The low shield volcano forming Marchena Island contains one of the largest calderas of the Galápagos Islands. In contrast to other Galápagos volcanoes, the 6 x 7 km caldera and its outer flanks have been largely buried by a cluster of pyroclastic cones and associated lava flows. The first historical eruption of Marchena occurred in 1991.
A large tuff cone rises near Punta Calle on the southern coast of Marchena Island beyond fresh-looking lava flows west of the cone in the foreground. The low shield volcano forming Marchena Island contains one of the largest calderas of the Galápagos Islands. In contrast to other Galápagos volcanoes, the 6 x 7 km caldera and its outer flanks have been largely buried by a cluster of pyroclastic cones and associated lava flows. The first historical eruption of Marchena occurred in 1991. · Photo: Photo by Ed Vicenzi, 1984 (Smithsonian Institution). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Shield volcano
Country
Ecuador
Region
Eastern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Northern Galapagos Volcanic Province
Elevation
343m
Coordinates
0.330, -90.470
Last eruption
1991
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

The low shield volcano forming Marchena Island contains one of the largest calderas of the Galápagos Islands. The 6 x 7 km caldera and its outer flanks have been largely buried by a cluster of pyroclastic cones and associated lava flows. Its first historical eruption occurred in 1991. Other young lava flows, some of which may be only a few thousand, or even a few hundred years old, filled the caldera and flowed down its outer forested flanks, in some cases to the sea.

From Wikipedia

Marchena Island is one of the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. It has an area of 130 square kilometers (50 sq mi) and reaches an elevation of 343 meters (1,125 ft) above sea level. The island does not receive visitors, although the surrounding water is used by aquatic divers on organized tours. People generally see the island as they sail around the northern part of Isabela on the way to Genovesa Island.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
1991~1991 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 219911991199219921992

Detailed timeline

  1. 1991VEI 2Observed
    1991-09-25 – 1991-11-16
    West to SW caldera rim

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.