Alid
Stratovolcano in Eritrea
Key Facts
Elevation
904 m (2,966 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
14.880°, 39.920°
Region
Afar Rift Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Rhyolite
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
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Overview
Alid is an isolated, dissected volcano in the central Danakil depression. Elongated in an E-W direction perpendicular to the orientation of the Alid graben, it consists of a structural dome of uplifted sedimentary rocks rising 700 m above the graben floor, which was produced by intrusion of a silicic magma body. The dome is capped by steep-sided basaltic-to-rhyolitic lava flows.
Late-stage eruptions during the late Pleistocene ejected rhyolitic pumice. A 2 x 3 km graben cuts the top of the dome, and the crater that produced the Plinian eruption occupies the western third of the summit depression. Vast lava fields of probable Holocene age originating from fissure vents bank up against the flanks to the NW and SE.
Small cones and craters that were the source of the flows are localized along NNW-trending fissures. Fumarolic activity continues from broad areas on the northern summit and flank.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows
- Lava flows
- Volcanic bombs and ballistics
- Lahars and mudflows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | Unknown | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 221040
- •Evidence: Evidence Credible
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The elongated Alid volcano, which sits on the axis of the Danakil spreading center, is seen here from the W. Most of the flanks of the volcano in this view are composed of dipping rhyolitic lava flows; the light-colored area along the right skyline is rhyolitic pumice. The summit of the volcano is elongated in an E-W direction and contains a 1 x 1.5 km wide, 100-m-deep crater at the western end. Vast lava fields originating from fissure vents in the Alid graben extend to the NW and SE of the volcano. Vigorous fumarolic activity continues at Alid.
Photo by Wendell Duffield, 1996 (U.S. Geological Survey).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.