Report on Erta Ale (Ethiopia) — August 1992
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 17, no. 8 (August 1992)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.
Erta Ale (Ethiopia) Small lava fountains observed during overflight
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 1992. Report on Erta Ale (Ethiopia) (McClelland, L., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 17:8. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199208-221080
Erta Ale
Ethiopia
13.601°N, 40.666°E; summit elev. 585 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
A lava fountain estimated at 1-2 m high was observed in one vent during a 45-minute overflight on 21 September by the Geophysical Observatory's director, a volcanologist, and a geologist. Gas emission was seen at a second vent.
Geological Summary. The Erta Ale basaltic shield volcano in Ethiopia has a 50-km-wide edifice that rises more than 600 m from below sea level in the Danakil depression. The volcano includes a 0.7 x 1.6 km summit crater hosting steep-sided pit craters. Another larger 1.8 x 3.1 km wide depression elongated parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale range is located SE of the summit and is bounded by curvilinear fault scarps on the SE side. Basaltic lava flows from these fissures have poured into the caldera and locally overflowed its rim. The summit caldera usually also holds at least one long-term lava lake that has been active since at least 1967, and possibly since 1906. Recent fissure eruptions have occurred on the N flank.
Information Contacts: L. Asfaw, Addis Abeba Univ, Ethiopia.
