Darwin
Shield in Ecuador
Key Facts
Elevation
1,330 m (4,364 ft)
Type
Shield
Location
-0.180°, -91.280°
Region
Galapagos Hotspot Volcano Group
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
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Overview
Volcán Darwin, named after the renowned naturalist, contains a symmetrical 5-km-wide, 200-m-deep summit caldera whose floor is nearly covered by youthful lava flows. A broad terrace occupies the SW part of the caldera. Fresh-looking, unvegetated lava flows descend all flanks and reach both the eastern and western coasts.
The most recent summit activity produced several small lava flows from vents on the east caldera floor and NE and SE caldera rims. Radial fissures descend the flanks, and one reaches beyond its base to the the SW coast and cuts Tagus tuff cone. The sheltered anchorage of Tagus Cove breaches the southern side of the cone and was visited by Darwin and other noted visitors.
This prominent tuff cone and its neighbor Beagle (also breached to the south) are located on the SW-flank coastline and were a prominent part of Darwin's geological studies in the Galápagos Islands.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
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 | 213 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Pacific Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 353030
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Volcán Darwin, named after the Charles Darwin, seen above a narrow channel opposite Point Espinosa on the NE tip of Fernandina Island. Darwin volcano has 5-km-wide summit caldera that is largely filled by lava flows. The most recent summit activity produced several small lava flows from vents on the eastern caldera floor, and NE and SE caldera rims. Two breached tuff cones on the SW-flank coast, Tagus and Beagle, were a prominent part of Darwin's geological studies in the Galápagos Islands.
Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).
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.