Morocco and Eastern Atlantis

[Bianca]

                               Las Canadas Caldera, Tenerife Volcano, Tiede Volcano 




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Network Website, September 2001
Pico del Teide
Stratovolcano of Teneriff, Canary Islands

Teneriff
Stratovolcano, Canary Islands



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



From: Newhall and Dzurisin, 1988, Historical Unrest at Large Calderas of the World: USGS
Bulletin 1855.

The Canary Islands lie in an intraplate setting, on the African continental shelf. Volcanism
may result form a mantle hotspot beneath the islands. The alignment of vents and fissures
in the Canary Islands suggests northeast-, northwest-, and north-south-trending faults.
Las Canadas Caldera is siturated at the intersection of three such fissures or rift zones,
called dorsals, of which the northwest- and northeast-trending ones have been dominant
in recent geologic and historical time (Carracedo, 1985).

The Las Canada Caldera formed initially by collapse following a large plinian eruption that
produced the Granadilla pumice (Booth, 1973), perhaps around 150,000 years B.P.
(Arana and others, 1985). Thick plinian and phreatoplinian pumice deposites occur on
Tenerife (Fuster and others, 1968; Ridley, 1972; Booth, 1973; Arana and Carracedo, 1978).
Subsequent gravitational failure of part of the north wall left the caldera open to the north
(Booth, 1979). Pico Viejo and Teide Volcanoes have grown within the area of collapse, north
of the escarpment.

The eruption of 1492 was probably from the Teide vent (Soler and others, 1984).

An eruption of Siete Fuentes on 31 January 1704 (volume 0.4 x 106 cubic meters) was pre-
ceded by 7 days of premonitory seismicity; eruptions of Volcan Fasnia on 5 January 1705
(volume 2.5 x 106 cubic meters) and of Montana Arenas on 2 February 1705 (volume
24 x 106 cubic meters) were preceded by several days of seismicity, and an erutpion of
Montana Negra on 5 May 1706 (volume 66 x 106 cubic meters) was preceded by one evening
of seismicity (data from F. Machado and A. Hernandez Pacheco, cited in Carracedo, 1985).



Volcan Chahorra eruption, 1798

A flank eruption along the northwest dorsal (Volcan Chinyero) in 1909 was preceded by
18 months of seismicity, including earthquake swarms in July, August, and especially
November 1908. Maximum activity was 14 shocks in two hours, as felt in Orotava.


http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/CanaryIslands/description_canary_islands_volcanics.html

[Bianca]

Canary Islands and volcanoes.
Map based on Neumann van Padang and others

[Bianca]

View east across the Canary Islands.
La Palma is on the bottom left.
Tenerife is near the center of this
Space Shuttle photo (STS050-82-002).

The coast of Africa forms the horizon.







Volcanism in the Canary Islands is associated with the transition from continental (Africa) to oceanic
(Atlantic) lithosphere within the Africa plate, the effects of the tectonics of the nearby Atlas Mountains,
and the very slow movement (about 1 cm per year for the last 60 million years) of the African plate

(see references in Carracedo, 1994).


http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/africa/canary_islands.html

[Bianca]

VOLCANOS OF THE ATLANTIC




Large red triangles show volcanoes with known or inferred Holocene eruptions;


Small red triangles mark volcanoes with possible, but uncertain Holocene eruptions
or Pleistocene volcanoes with major thermal activity.


Yellow triangles distinguish volcanoes of other regions.



http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/region.cfm?rnum=18

[Bianca]

                                                    M A C A R O N E S I A



 
 
Macaronesia

Not to be confused with Micronesia or Macronesia.




Macaronesia is a modern collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean

near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries:


Portugal,

Spain, and

Cape Verde.


The name comes from the Greek for "fortunate islands", a term used by Ancient Greek

geographers for islands to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar.




Macaronesia consists of five archipelagos:


Azores (Portugal)

Madeira (Portugal)

Savage Islands (Portugal)

Canary Islands (Spain)

Cape Verde (Cape Verde)



The islands of Macaronesia are volcanic in origin, and are thought to be the product of

several geologic hotspots.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaronesia

[Bianca]

Canary Islands and volcanoes.
Map based on Neumann van Padang and others

[Bianca]

Volcanology Highlights

Known eruptions from this large region total 117—only Antarctica has less—but its historical record is relatively long. The largest island group, the Canaries, is reached by favorable winds from Europe and was an important base for early voyages to the new world. In fact, Christopher Columbus recorded a 1492 eruption on Tenerife, just seven weeks before that same logbook carried documentation of a more historic observation. The Azores were also well placed for sailors because of the predominant westerly winds used for return routes to Europe.

The Canaries were mentioned by Pliny around 40 BC, and were often rediscovered in the following centuries. They were claimed by Portugal in 1341, the year of the region's first historical eruption (a somewhat questionable report of activity somewhere on Tenerife), but were awarded to Spain by the Pope 3 years later. They were settled in 1402 and conquest of the indigenous Guanches population was complete by 1496. The Canaries now have the largest population (1.6 million) in the region and, as part of Spain, claim Pico de Teide as that nation's highest point.

A discovery date for the Azores is uncertain, but they appear on a map from 1351 AD. The Portuguese visited in 1427-31 and colonization began in 1445, a year after the first historical eruption. The nine islands now support about 250,000 people, half of them on the island of Sao Miguel.

The Cape Verde islands were discovered by Portugal in 1456 and settled 6 years later. An eruption beginning in 1500 appears to have continued for about 260 years, with behavior similar to that of Italy's Stromboli. Independence from Portugal came in 1975.

Tristan de Cunha was discovered by the Portuguese in 1506 and the islands were much visited by whalers and sealers. They were first inhabited by St. Helenans in the 19th century and annexed by Britain in 1816. The residents were evacuated during the 1961 eruption, but most elected to return within two years and the 1970 population was estimated at 280.

Aside from submarine activity (most of it uncertain) the only other dated eruption in the region is from Norway's Bouvet Island, the most remote in the world. It was discovered in 1739, but its only known eruption was 2,000 years ago (by magnetic dating).

Volcanism in the region is largely caused by hotspots in oceanic crust, and the region has the highest proportion of fissure vent volcanoes (as primary features). Several known volcanoes lie along or near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that separates the Eurasian and African plates from the North and South American plates, but the Canaries and Cape Verdes lie just west of the African continental margin.


http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/region.cfm?rnum=18&rpage=highlights

[Bianca]

FROM


ATLANTIS - The Eighth Continent

by Charles Berlitz



The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the world's greatest mountain range although, being large-
ly under water, the tremendous height of its mountains can be appreciated only on
bathometric charts.  It divides the Atlantic into east and west sections, each con-
taining its own abyssal plain.  One of the world's most active seismic areas, it has
been characterized by earthquakes, seaquakes and volcanic explosions throughout
history and is still in a state of violent seismic activity.

The appearance and disappearance of islands in the Atlantic and the destructive
earthquakes on its islands and coastal shores occasionally remind us, on a small
scale, of the legendary destruction of Atlantis. 
 
 

*  In 1622 the city of Villa Franca, capital of the Azorian island of Sao Miguel, was
buried by a sudden seismic convulsion, opening up great faults in the land and caus-
ing tidal waves in the ocean.

*  The city of Port Royal, Jamaica,used as rendez-vous for buccaneers, fell into
the sea without warning in 1692, complete with its pirates, ships,bawdy taverns
and booty.

*  An earthquake which suddenly occurred in Lisbon in 1755 caused the death,
within a few minutes, of 60,000 persons, many of whom had fled to safety from
falling buildings to a large open stone quay which suddenly sank into the sea,
taking them with it underwater, to a depth of 600 feet.  The noise produced by
this sudden earth and sea quake was said to be loud enough to be heard in
Stockholm.

*  The island of Martinique suffered the explosion of Mt. Pelee in May 1902. 
The explosion, which blew out the side of the mountain, killed every individual
in St. Pierre,the capital, except a convict and a madman in protective prison
cells.  A distinctivefeature of the St. Pierre holocaust was a burning gaseous
cloud - the "nuee`ardente" - which rolled down from Mr. Pelee and killed all
those - almost 30,000 - who were not already dead.

*  The destructive earthquake of Accra, Africa, in 1922 extended along fault
lines laterally across the ocean all the way from Puerto Rico Trench, one of
the greatest depths of the ocean.  Great earth shifts that take place under
the ocean are not readily noticeable. 

*  The Grand Banks seaquake of 1929 caused a gigantic current thick with under-
water  mud and sand to flow down North Atlantic submarine canyons, cutting the
northern series of transatlantic cable.  When the cables were repaired, areas of
the seafloor previously measured showed a rise of almost a mile since the last sound-
ings were taken.

*  A 1974 lava flow from a fissure in the earth in Heimaey, Iceland, completely
buried the town with lava,but fortunately at a tempo that enabled the townspeople,
unlike those of Pompeii, to escape entombement.

*  A number of islands have appeared, disappeared and, sometimes, reappeared
from the restless depths of the Atlantic.  In 1808 a volcano on Sao Jorge in the
Azores crested several thousand additional.

*  In 1811 a large volcanic island appeared in the Azores which, after being
given a name - Sambrina - and charted on maps, suddenly returned to the sea.

*  In 1931 two islands suddely rose from the sea bottom in the vicinity of the
Fernando de Noronha group off the coast of Brazil.  Great Britain, always interested
in the acquisition of islands, lost no time in laying claim to them against claims by
Brazil and several other countries.  The problem was solved however, when both
islands unexpectedly sank beneath the waves.

*  A new island, appropriately named for the Norse god of fire, Surtsey, emerged
with flame and smoke from the sea bottom off the southwest coast of Iceland,
shortly to be followed by two smaller islands in a three-year, more-r-less-conti-
nuous eruption starting in 1963.

*  Other Atlantic islands, especially the Azores, Canaries and Madeira, have wit-
nessed a number of land-sea inversions for centuries, with new islands appearing
or disappearing or sections of existing islands dropping off into the sea. 


http://atlantisonline.smfforfree2.com/index.php/topic,694.0.html

[Bianca]

Bianca
Hero Member

Posts: 14678



     Re: Volcanoes of the Atlantic Ocean
« Reply #16 on: June 10, 2007, 09:58:29 am » Quote Modify 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




DHill,
 
If you don't mind, I'd like to add this.  I posted this under THE RESTLESS OCEAN FLOOR, in this
section:



  The Restless Ocean Floor
« on: April 01, 2007, 01:21:45 pm » 




FROM


ATLANTIS - The Eighth Continent

by Charles Berlitz



The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the world's greatest mountain range although, being large-
ly under water, the tremendous height of its mountains can be appreciated only on bathometric charts.  It divides the Atlantic into east and west sections, each con-
taining its own abyssal plain.  One of the world's most active seismic areas, it has been characterized by earthquakes, seaquakes and volcanic explosions throughout history and is still in a state of violent seismic activity.

The appearance and disappearance of islands in the Atlantic and the destructive earthquakes on its islands and coastal shores occasionally remind us, on a small scale, of the legendary destruction of Atlantis. 
 
 

*  In 1622 the city of Villa Franca, capital of the Azorian island of Sao Miguel, was buried by a sudden seismic convulsion, opening up great faults in the land and causing tidal waves in the ocean.

*  The city of Port Royal, Jamaica,used as rendez-vous for buccaneers, fell into the sea without warning in 1692, complete with its pirates, ships,bawdy taverns and booty.

*  An earthquake which suddenly occurred in Lisbon in 1755 caused the death, within a few minutes, of 60,000 persons, many of whom had fled to safety from falling buildings to a large open stone quay which suddenly sank into the sea, taking them with it underwater, to a depth of 600 feet.  The noise produced by this sudden earth and sea quake was said to be loud enough to be heard in Stockholm.

*  The island of Martinique suffered the explosion of Mt. Pelee in May 1902.  The ex-
plosion, which blew out the side of the mountain, killed every individual in St. Pierre,
the capital, except a convict and a madman in protective prison cells.  A distinctive
feature of the St. Pierre holocaust was a burning gaseous cloud - the "nuee`ardente" - which rolled down from Mr. Pelee and killed all those - almost 30,000 - who were not already dead.

*  The destructive earthquake of Accra, Africa, in 1922 extended along fault lines laterally across the ocean all the way from Puerto Rico Trench, one of the greatest
depths of the ocean.  Great earth shifts that take place under the ocean are not readily noticeable. 

*  The Grand Banks seaquake of 1929 caused a gigantic current thick with under-
water  mud and sand to flow down North Atlantic submarine canyons, cutting the
northern series of transatlantic cable.  When the cables were repaired, areas of the seafloor previously measured showed a rise of almost a mile since the last sound-
ings were taken.

*  A 1974 lava flow from a fissure in the earth in Heimaey, Iceland, completely
buried the town with lava,but fortunately at a tempo that enabled the townspeople,
unlike those of Pompeii, to escape entombement.

*  A number of islands have appeared, disappeared and, sometimes, reappeared
from the restless depths of the Atlantic.  In 1808 a volcano on Sao Jorge in the
Azores crested several thousand additional.

*  In 1811 a large volcanic island appeared in the Azores which, after being given a
name - Sambrina - and charted on maps, suddenly returned to the sea.

*  In 1931 two islands suddely rose from the sea bottom in the vicinity of the Fernando de Noronha group off the coast of Brazil.  Great Britain, always interested
in the acquisition of islands, lost no time in laying claim to them against claims by
Brazil and several other countries.  The problem was solved however, when both islands unexpectedly sank beneath the waves.

*  A new island, appropriately named for the Norse god of fire, Surtsey, emerged with flame and smoke from the sea bottom off the southwest coast of Iceland, shortly to be followed by two smaller islands in a three-year, more-r-less-conti-
nuous eruption starting in 1963.

*  Other Atlantic islands, especially the Azores, Canaries and Madeira, have wit-
nessed a number of land-sea inversions for centuries, with new islands appearing
or disappearing or sections of existing islands dropping off into the sea. 

[Bianca]

dhill757
Hero Member

Posts: 330



    Re: Volcanoes of the Atlantic Ocean
« Reply #17 on: June 15, 2007, 01:22:56 am » Quote 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nice list, Bianca, I just found another one:



                                                         Chapter V: Can Lands Sink and Rise?

 







                                                                I. Destructions






We will deal here with cities, islands, civilizations lost because of calamities.

According to Roman history and tradition, Vesuvius had never erupted before August 79 AD. It only smoked a bit from time to time. The explosion was extremely violent; it covered the city of Pompeii  with ashes and killed 2000 people. Since that time, Vesuvius has had numerous minor eruptions and 18 major ones, the last one in 1944.

In the spring of 1902, Mont Pelee (Martinique)  in the Caribbean erupted and besides wiping out the biggest city of the country, Saint Pierre, it killed 30,000 people. The cone had been dormant for half a century. The only survivor was a prisoner in an underground dungeon.

In 1883, the violent explosion of Krakatao sent bits of pumice and dust up into the air 20 miles. Some of the dust was carried completely around the world by currents in the upper air. The entire mountain disappeared. The eruption cracked walls in Buitenzorg, Java, 100 miles away. The tidal wave that was created engulfed the neighboring shored and killed 36,000 people. The detonation was heard for 3,000 miles.

In the same area, in 1815, the volcano Tomboro on the island of Sumbawa took 12,000 lives.

In October 1822, another earthquake occurred on the island of Java. Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, says "the earth shook, and immense columns of hot water and boiling mud, mixed with burning brimstone, ashes, and lapilli, of the size of nuts, were projected from the mountain like a water-spout, with such prodigious violence that large quantities fell beyond the river Tandoi, which is forty miles distant." Four days later a second volcano eruption occurred accompanied by a violent earthquake and the summit of the mountain broke down. Over 4,000 people were killed and 114 villages destroyed. And this happened back then, when population wasn't as dense as it is now.

In 1912, in Alaska, Katmai erupted and blanketed Kodiak, 100 miles away, under a 10- to 12-inch fall of ash.

These are a couple of examples from modern times.

However, 6500 years ago Mount Mazama erupted and created the Crater Lake, in America. The volcano displaced about 17 cubic miles of rock. The mountain was swallowed  up in its own crater.

Helike and Bora are ancient Greek islands that sank during Plato's time. You will find more information on the legendary city of Helike later on.

According to Pliny, in 186 BC, in the gulf of Santorini, near Greece, the island of Old Kaimeni (the Sacred Island) emerged from the sea. In 19 AD, Thera (the Divine, Santorini), home of the Mynoan civilization appeared. However, parts of this island had sunk around  1,600 BC after a powerful eruption. The volcano sent the rocks swirling in the sky and to the island of Crete. Stones from Santorini are found on Crete. I will debate over this when I mention Santorini as a possible location for Atlantis. Also, in 1573 AD, another island was created and it was called "the small sunburnt island". In 1848, another volcanic convulsion that lasted three months created a great shoal. Since Santorini had emerged, the island went on sinking until, by the end of the 19th century, it had submerged 1200 feet.

[Bianca]

II. Lands that Rise and Sink
Let's start with some easy examples. Within 5,000 years the shores of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have risen from 200 to 600 feet. The coast or Peru continues to sink. Professor Winchell (The Preadamites) says that in 70 years the Andes sank 220 feet. Also, "the coast of South America lifted up bodily ten or fifteen feet and let down again in an hour".

Most of the information above uses as a source Ignatius Donnelly's book, Atlantis, the Antediluvian World. Other data was gathered from the net, from reliable sources.

In 1783, Iceland was touched by tremendous earthquakes. According to Donnelly, "about a month previous to the eruption on the main-land a submarine volcano burst forth in the sea at a distance of thirty miles from the shore. It ejected so much pumice that the sea was covered with it for a distance of 150 miles, and ships were considerably embedded in their course". An island emerged, and the Danish Majesty claimed it. It was called the "New Island". A year later, the island sank again, at about 30 fathom under water. The earthquake killed 9,000 people out of a population of 50,000.

The most interesting account is that of the Mexican volcano of Paricutin, west of Mexico City. It belongs to the Sierra Madre range. For 15 days before its appearance the earth trembled. In February 1943, a farmer who was plowing his cornfield saw a spiral of steam rising from the ground. Explosions rocked the night and by morning, the volcano had built up a cone of 50 feet. The puffs ejected every six seconds cinders, ash, and bombs of solid rock estimated at 2,700 tons a minute. Within six months the cone had reached 1,000 feet, and in one year it had reached 1,500 feet. For a radius of 20 miles all vegetation was killed and more than 8,000 people had to be evacuated. The volcano ceased to erupt in 1952. Its neighbor, El Jorullo, was born in 1759 and was active for 19 years.

In 1819, the fort and village of Sindree (east side of Indus), was submerged by an earthquake, together with a tract of country 2000 miles in extent.

In 1831, in Sicily, as a result of an earthquake, a whole new island emerged. It was called "Graham's Island". It reached a height of 200 feet and a circumference of three miles, in a month. Soon, however, it sank again.

In 1737, as a result of an earthquake and hurricane in Calcutta, India, 300 000 people died.

In November 1775, Lisbon (Portugal) an earthquake threw down the greater part of the city. In six minutes 60,000 people died. The area where the quay sank was at the end of the 19th century 600 feet deep.

In September 1730, in the Canaries, the earth opened near Year, in Lancerota Island. Several explosions created a hill of ejected matter. Eruptions continued and lava ran over villages and ten days later the lava had reached the sea. Putrid vapors condensed into drops killed the cattle around the country. The storms going on at that time were stronger than anything seen before by the people. The thing has lasted for five years, and the lava covered one-third of the island.

In 1963, a fishing boat off the south coast of Iceland radioed the base to report a cloud of smoke raising from the ocean. An explosion sent rocks flying out of the sea and a black land emerged from the depths. A weak later, the island was 200 feet above sea level and, since eruptions continued, by 1967 was 500 feet high and a mile long. The island was named Surtsey. Nowadays, the land is inhabited by birds and plants.

According to A. Tomas, Atlantis from Legend to Discovery, in 1780 a Spanish explorer, Maurelle found an island in South Pacific. The island was called Falcon. In 1892, the Government of Tonga planted 2000 coconut trees on the island, however, in 1894 the island was gone.

In 1135, in the Caspian Sea, the fortress of Caravan-Sarai rose from the waters, only to sink back again. In 1723, it rose again and it is still there nowadays.

In the Bay of Naples (Mediterranean), the sunk Temple of Jupiter-Serapis, built in 105 BC, rose again in 1742.

In Azores (has 12 volcanoes) a volcano rose suddenly in 1808 in San Jorge, at a height of 3500 feet. It burnt for 6 days and desolated the whole island. In 1811, near San Miguel, another volcano rose creating an island 300 feet high. The place was called Sambrina, but it soon sank again. Other similar eruptions took place in 1691 and 1720.

I will quote now from Donnelly's book, that uses Lyell's Principles of Geology:

"In the Nautical Magazine for 1835 [...], and in Compte Rendus, April, 1838, accounts are given of a series of volcanic phenomena, earthquakes, troubled water, floating scoria, and columns of smoke, which have been observed at intervals since the middle of the last century, in a space of open sea between longitudes 20 degrees and 22 mins W., about half a degree south of the equator. These facts, says Mr. Darwin, seem to show that an island or archipelago is in progress of formation in the middle of Atlantic."



The examples could go on and on, but I think I have made my point. It's not so hard to believe anymore that a continent can sink and rise in a single night, or, if you are still doubting that, in 1 matter of months.

http://atlantis.haktanir.org/ch5.html


FROM

http://atlantisonline.smfforfree2.com/index.php/topic,1461.15.html

[Bianca]

                                                         L A   P A L M A





The northern of two large volcanic centers forming the wedge-shaped island of La Palma, Taburiente, is seen from the southern volcano, Cumbre Vieja. Bejenado volcano (left-center) is located in the large breached caldera of Taburiente volcano (background). Cumbre Nueva Ridge (right) was formed by a large-scale collapse. Cumbre Vieja, the southern volcano, is one of the most active in the Canaries. The elongated volcano is oriented N-S and has been the site of numerous historical eruptions.

Photo by Yasuo Miyabuchi, 1997 (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyushu).



 Country: Spain



                                           Subregion Name: Canary Islands
 


Volcano Number: 1803-01-

Volcano Type: Stratovolcanoes

Volcano Status: Historical

Last Known Eruption: 1971
 
Summit Elevation: 2426 m 7,959 feet
 
Latitude: 28.57°N  28°34'0"N

Longitude: 17.83°W 17°50'0"W



The 47-km-long wedge-shaped island of La Palma, the NW-most of the Canary Islands, is composed of two large volcanic centers.

The older 2426-m-high northern one is cut by the massive steep-walled Caldera Taburiente, one of several massive collapse scarps produced by edifice failure to the SW.

The younger 1949-m-high Cumbre Vieja, the southern volcano, is one of the most active in the Canaries.

The elongated volcano dates back to about 125,000 years ago and is oriented N-S. Eruptions during
the past 7000 years have originated from the abundant cinder cones and craters along the axis of Cumbre Vieja, producing fissure-fed lava flows that descend steeply to the sea.

Historical eruptions at La Palma, recorded since the 15th century, have produced mild explosive activity and lava flows that damaged populated areas.

The southern tip of the island is mantled by a broad lava field produced during the 1677-1678 eruption.

Lava flows also reached the sea in 1585, 1646, 1712, 1949, and 1971.




http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1803-01-

[Bianca]

                                                           H I E R R O





The massive Hierro shield volcano is truncated by a large NW-facing escarpment, seen here from the east, which formed as a result of gravitational collapse of the volcano. The steep-sided 1500-m-high scarp towers above a low lava platform bordering 12-km-wide El Golfo Bay, which is barely visible at
the extreme left. Holocene cones and flows are found both on the outer flanks and in the El Golfo depression.

The latest eruption, during the 18th century, produced a lava flow from a cinder cone on the NW side of El Golfo.

Photo by Yasuo Miyabuchi, 1997 (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyushu).

 



 Country: Spain

                                             Subregion Name: Canary Islands





Volcano Number: 1803-02-

Volcano Type: Shield volcano

Volcano Status: Radiocarbon

Last Known Eruption: 550 BC ± 75 years
 
Summit Elevation: 1500 m 4,921 feet

Latitude: 27.73°N  27°44'0"N

Longitude: 18.03°W 18°2'0"W





The triangular island of Hierro is the SW-most and least studied of the Canary Islands. The massive Hierro shield volcano is truncated by a large NW-facing escarpment formed as a result of gravitational collapse of El Golfo volcano about 130,000 years ago.

The steep-sided 1500-m-high scarp towers above a low lava platform bordering 12-km-wide El Golfo Bay, and three other large submarine landslide deposits occur to the SW and SE.

Three prominent rifts oriented NW, NE, and south at 120 degree angles form prominent topographic ridges.

The subaerial portion of the volcano consists of flat-lying Quaternary basaltic and trachybasaltic lava flows and tuffs capped by numerous young cinder cones and lava flows.

Holocene cones and flows are found both on the outer flanks and in the El Golfo depression. Hierro contains the greatest concentration of young vents in the Canary Islands. Uncertainty surrounds the report of an historical eruption in 1793. 

[Bianca]

                                                       T E N E R I F E





Teide volcano, the highest point on the island of Tenerife, towers above the scarp of the massive 600,000-year-old Orotava landslide.

The light-colored area on the eastern foot of the volcano is covered by plinian tephra deposits from
the Mount Blanca eruption about 2000 years ago.

Tiede was constructed within the dramatic 10 x 17 km wide Las Cañadas caldera on the SW side of Tenerife.

The large triangular island is composed of a complex of overlapping stratovolcanoes that have remained active into historical time.

Photo by Alexander Belousov (Institute of Volcanology, Kliuchi).





Country: Spain



                                                 Subregion Name: Canary Islands





Volcano Number: 1803-03-
 
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
 
Volcano Status: Historical

Last Known Eruption: 1909 
 
Summit Elevation: 3715 m 12,188 feet

Latitude: 28.271°N  28°16'17"N

Longitude: 16.641°W 16°38'27"W





The large triangular island of Tenerife is composed of a complex of overlapping Miocene-to-Quater-
nary stratovolcanoes that have remained active into historical time.

The NE-trending Cordillera Dorsal volcanic massif joins the Las Cañadas volcano on the SW side of Tenerife with older volcanoes, creating the largest volcanic complex of the Canary Islands.

Controversy surrounds the formation of the dramatic 10 x 17 km Las Cañadas caldera, which is partially filled by 3715-m-high Teide stratovolcano, the highest peak in the Atlantic Ocean.

The origin of the caldera has been considered to be due entirely or in part to either a massive landslide (in a manner similar to the earlier formation of the massive La Orotava and Guimar valleys in the Cordillera Dorsal) or due to major explosive eruptions.

The most recent stage of activity beginning in the late Pleistocene included the construction of the Pico Viejo and Teide edifices.

Tenerife was perhaps observed in eruption by Christopher Columbus, and several flank vents on the Canary Island's most active volcano have been active during historical time.

[Bianca]

                                                 G R A N   C A N A R I A





Marteles Maar in the foreground and several cinder cones in the background are part of a group of Quaternary monogenetic volcanoes in northern Gran Canaria.

The largely Miocene-to-Pliocene island in the middle of the Canary archipelago contains three major volcanic structures, which have been modified by caldera collapse, gravitational edifice failure, and extensive erosion.

Very young basaltic cones and lava flows of Holocene age are situated within the island and at Las Isletas, a peninsula on the NE coast.

Photo by Alexander Belousov (Institute of Volcanology, Kliuchi).





Country: Spain



                                               Subregion Name: Canary Islands





Volcano Number: 1803-04-

Volcano Type: Fissure vents

Volcano Status: Radiocarbon

Last Known Eruption: 20 BC ± 75 years
 
Summit Elevation: 1950 m 6,398 feet

Latitude: 28.00°N  28°0'0"N

Longitude: 15.58°W 15°35'0"W





The largely Miocene-to-Pliocene island of Gran Canaria in the middle of the Canary archipelago has
been strongly eroded into steep-walled radial gorges called barrancos.

Three major volcanic structures form the circular 60-km-wide island, which has been modified by caldera collapse, gravitational edifice failure, and extensive erosion.

Middle Quaternary scoria cones and lava flows are found in the northern and eastern parts of the massive shield volcano, which is cut by a major NW-SE-trending rift zone that extends across the
island and fed flows primarily to the NE.

Very young basaltic cones and lava flows of Holocene age are situated within a NW-trending zone
from Berrazales to Bandama and at Las Isletas, a peninsula on the NE coast.

One cinder cone was radiocarbon dated at about 3000 years before present, and other cones and
flows may be less than 1000 years old.