Illustrated Volcano Glossary

Updated: Jun 10, 2023 13:29 GMT - refresh

caldera: Volcanology

View of the 13x8km large caldera of Santorini, Greece, formed during several Plinian eruptions including the Minoan eruption around 1613 BC.

Large crater, usually several kilometers across, formed by the collapse of the roof of a magma chamber emptied by large explosive eruptions.

A caldera is a large, usually circular depression at the summit of a volcano formed when magma is withdrawn or erupted from a shallow underground magma reservoir. The removal of large volumes of magma may result in loss of structural support for the overlying rock, thereby leading to collapse of the ground and formation of a large depression. Calderas are different from craters, which are smaller,... Read all

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crater: Volcanology

Marum's crater on Ambrym volcano, containing a small lava lake.

A depression often on the top or the flanks of a volcano usually created by explosions of lava from the vent.

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