erta ale – the world’s most inconvenient volcano
DESCRIPTION
Erta Ale – The World’s Most Inconvenient Volcano. Geographic Setting. Latitude: 13°36′N. Longitude: 40°40′E. The Afar Desert region has one of the hottest and driest climates on earth. Tectonic Setting. Erta Ale lies on the Afar Triple Junction , where three plates are diverging: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Erta Ale Ethiopia’s “Smoking Mountain” and “Gateway to Hell”
Sarah Shoer and Anahita Valakche
Department of Geology, Colby College
Geographic Location • 13°36 N 40°40 E′ ′• Northeastern Ethiopia• Afar Triangle
(Depression)• Danakil Desert – “The most cruel
place on Earth” (National Geographic)
Tectonic Setting
• Afar Triple Junction – Afro-Arabian Rift
System
• Part of East African Rift –Spreading axis
with mantle plume
Form & Dimensions
• 613 meters tall• Continuously active basaltic shield volcano • Summit caldera (1.6 km x 0.7 km) with two
pit craters–named North and South Crater• Two lava lakes – One of only 6 volcanoes in the world with active
lava lakes • Why are they so rare?
– Both lakes have undergone fluctuation
Eruptive History
• 7 (possible) eruptions in last 125 years– 1873, 1903, 1940, 1960, 1967, 2005, & 2007• 2005: 250 livestock killed following a quake that
triggered eruption• 2007: eruption killed 5 people
• Evidence of explosive eruptions (VEI 2) – What are the factors that contribute to limited
data/records?• Hazards: fluid, fast moving lava
Rocks & Deposits • Basalt and andesitic rocks • Mineralogy: plagioclase and olivine • Deposits:
Fumarolic deposit on North crater
Sulphur stalagtites in fumarole on N rim of
caldera
Pele’s hair near S crater due to frequent lava
fountains
Other Interesting Information
• 1998-2001: Danakil Desert was off-limits to tourists and foreign researchers!
• Now: tourists can go within 4.3 miles of Erta Ale (despite conditions…)
• 2012: 5 scientists/tourists killed – Afar Revolutionary Democratic
Unity Front responsible (ARDUF)
Monitoring
Eruptions monitored: – 1.) by their sulfur dioxide plumes– 2.) by the lava lakes via satellite – 3.) or by reports from the (few) locals who live near the
volcano
Colin's Notes, 2012: The Danakil Depression Part I at http://www.colinsnotes.com/2012/12/07/557/ (accessed January 10, 2015)
Global Volcanism Program, 2013: Erta Ale at http://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn= 221080 (accessed on January 10,
2015)
Finlayson, David, 2010: Crustal Architectire of the East African Rift System at http://www.earthscrust.org.au/
science/transects/east-africa_2.html (accessed on January 10, 2015)
Klemetti, Erik, 2010: Volcano Profile: Erta Ale at http://bigthink.com/eruptions/volcano-profile-erta-ale (accessed on
January 10, 2015)
Roscoe, Richard, 2009: Erta Ale Volcano at http://www.photovolcanica.com/VolcanoInfo/Erta%20Ale/Erta %20Ale.html
(accessed January 10, 2015)
Société Volcanologique Européenne, 2005: Erta Ale Volcano, Ethiopia at http://www.sveurop.org/gb/articles/
articles/ErtaAle.htm (accessed January 10, 2015)
Volcanic Hazards Documentation and Logistic Research, 2014: Hot Spot Danakil at http://www.v-e-i.de/vhdl/project/ ertaale.html
(accessed January 10 2015)
Bibliography