Aragats
Stratovolcano in Armenia
Key Facts
Elevation
4,095 m (13,435 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
40.530°, 44.200°
Region
Caucasus Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Intraplate
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Aragats is a large andesitic-to-dacitic stratovolcano in NW Armenia about 40 km NW of the capital city of Yerevan. The main edifice is dissected by glaciers and is of Pliocene-to-Pleistocene age. Satellitic cones and fissures are located on all sides of the volcano and were the source of large lava flows that descended its lower flanks.
Several of these were considered to be of Holocene age, but later Potassium-Argon dating indicated mid- to late-Pleistocene ages. The youngest lower-flank flows have not been precisely dated, but are constrained as occurring between the end of the late-Pleistocene and 3000 BCE (Kharakanian et al. , 2003).
A 13-km-long, WSW-ENE-trending line of craters and pyroclastic cones cuts across the northern crater rim and is the source of young lava flows and lahars; the latter were considered to be characteristic of Holocene summit eruptions.
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 Arabia-Central Asia Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 214060
- •Evidence: Evidence Credible
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The two northern summits of Aragats volcano in NW Armenia seen from a ridge to the south. Extensive hydrothermal alteration has modified rocks in the summit region of this large andesitic-to-dacitic stratovolcano. The main edifice of Aragats is dissected by glaciers and is of Pliocene to late-Pleistocene age. Satellite cones and fissures have produced lava flows of late-Pleistocene to possible Holocene age.
Photo by Alexander Margarian.
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.