The caldera wall at the upper right was created during the youngest caldera-forming eruption of Mayor Island about 6,300 years ago. Major explosive eruptions at this time produced more than 1 km³ of tephra that deposited across the Bay of Plenty in the North Island. The 2.2 x 2.5 km wide caldera was subsequently partially filled by lava flows and domes, the latest of which may have been erupted as recently as 500-1,000 years ago.

Photo by Richard Waitt, 1986 (U.S. Geological Survey).

This image is made available as a Public Domain Work, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Galleries: Calderas

Keywords: caldera | crater | island volcano

Mayor Island