Global Volcanism Program | Meidob Volcanic Field

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Meidob Volcanic Field.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Meidob Volcanic Field.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Meidob Volcanic Field.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Katkatkono

Crater

15° 21' 0" N

26° 29' 0" E

Malha

Maar

15° 8' 0" N

26° 10' 0" E

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

225050

2950 BCE

2,000 m / 6,562 ft

15.32°N
26.47°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Cluster

Volcano Types
Volcanic field
Pyroclastic cone(s)
Lava dome(s)
Maar(s)

Rock Types

Major
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Minor
Phonolite
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite

Tectonic Setting

Intraplate
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

5,140
5,140
5,140
24,193

Geological Summary

The alkaline Meidob volcanic field in western Sudan, at the NE end of the Darfur volcanic province, covers an area of 5,000 km² with nearly 700 Pliocene-to-Holocene vents. The field was constructed over an uplifted Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement and is elongated in an E-W direction. Basaltic scoria cones and associated lava flows dominate, but trachytic-phonolitic lava domes, tuff rings, and maars are among the youngest volcanic products. Basaltic scoria cones are scattered throughout the field; their lavas have produced a broad lava plateau. The central part of the field consists of younger phonolitic lava flows, trachytic pumice-fall deposits, ignimbrites, and maars. The youngest dated eruptions about 5,000 years ago produced a tuff ring and a lava flow.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Almond D C, 1974. The composition of basaltic lavas from Bayuda, Sudan and their place in the Cainozoic volcanic history of north-east Africa. Bull Volcanol, 38: 345-360.

Franz G, Breitkreuz C, Coyle D A, Bushra El Hur, Heinrich W, Paulick H, Pudlo D, Smith R, Steiner G, 1997. The alkaline Meidob volcanic field (Late Cenozoic, northwest Sudan). J African Earth Sci, 25: 263-921.

IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior.

Paulick H, Franz G, 1997. The color of pumice: case study on a trachytic fall deposit, Meidob volcanic field, Sudan. Bull Volcanol, 59: 171-185.

Paulick H, Franz G, Urlacher G, Breitkreuz C, Smith R, Volker F, 1993. The alkaline Meidob volcanic field, Pliocene to Holocene, W Sudan. In:, Duggan M B, Knutson, J (eds) IAVCEI abstracts; Ancient volcanism & modern, Australia: Australian Geological Survey Organisation), p 84.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 6 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

2950 BCE ± 500 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption

Vent VF 214

2950 BCE ± 500 years - Unknown

Evidence from Radiogenic: Thermoluminescence

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Vent VF 214

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
	2950 BCE ± 500 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

3000 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

Central Meidob volcanic field

3000 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Central Meidob volcanic field

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
3000 BCE (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

3050 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

SW crater of vent VF 57

3050 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at SW crater of vent VF 57

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
3050 BCE (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

4150 BCE ± 1450 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

Central Meidob volcanic field

4150 BCE ± 1450 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Central Meidob volcanic field

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
4150 BCE ± 1000 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

5250 BCE ± 500 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Central Meidob volcanic field

5250 BCE ± 500 years - Unknown

Evidence from Radiogenic: Thermoluminescence

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Central Meidob volcanic field

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

6050 BCE ± 1600 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

NE crater of vent VF 57

6050 BCE ± 1600 years - Unknown

Evidence from Radiogenic: Thermoluminescence

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at NE crater of vent VF 57

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Bombs
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
6050 BCE ± 1000 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Meidob Volcanic Field.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Meidob Volcanic Field.

Photo Gallery

The dark-colored area in the center of this Space Shuttle view is the alkaline Meidob volcanic field in western Sudan. This broad volcanic field covers an area of 5,000 km² with nearly 700 Pliocene-to-Holocene vents. The margins of the field are dominated by basaltic scoria cones and associated lava flows, but the lava domes, tuff rings, and maars that are concentrated along the central E-W-trending axis of the volcanic field are among the youngest features. The latest dated eruptions took place about 5,000 years ago.

NASA Space Shuttle image STS073-713-87, 1995 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).

The Meidob Volcanic Field covers approximately 5,000 km² in western Sudan, seen in this November 2019 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top; this image is approximately 100 km across). Around 700 features have been identified, including scoria cones, maars, tuff rings, and eroded features. Some lava flows reached more than 20 km from their source.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2019 (https://www.planet.com/).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Meidob Volcanic Field in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Meidob Volcanic Field. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Meidob Volcanic Field. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Meidob Volcanic Field

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).