Diamond Craters
Volcanic field in United States
Key Facts
Elevation
1,435 m (4,708 ft)
Type
Volcanic field
Location
43.100°, -118.750°
Region
High Lava Plains Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Diamond Craters volcanic field consists of a 70 km2 area of basaltic lava flows along with numerous cinder cones and maars located between the SE Oregon town of Burns and Steens Mountain. A basaltic pahoehoe lava field is overlain by deposits from phreatomagmatic and Strombolian eruptions that formed a late-stage central vent complex of about 20 craters and cones that densely fill a 1. 1 x 1.
6 km caldera. The age is constrained to within 7,320-7,790 calibrated years Before Present by radiocarbon-dated floodplain deposits below the lava flows and paloemagnetic evidence (Sherrod et al. , 2012).
Doming has created a series of six overlapping topographic highs. The highest of these is known as Graben Dome; its summit is cut by a NW-SE graben 0. 4 x 2.
1 km long and 30 m deep. Lava flows on the E side of the field, scattered cinder cones, and maars formed during the last stage of activity.
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 | 7636 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 322170
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Lava flows of West Dome, one the structural highpoints of Diamond Craters, rise NE of lake-filled Malheur Maar. The shallow 2-m-deep lake occupies one of many maars (the rest of which are dry) of the Diamond Craters volcanic field at the time of this 2002 photo. Diamond Craters consists of a 70 km2 area of basaltic lava flows, scoria cones, and maars. The initial eruptions of pahoehoe lava flows and later activity involved magma injection that produced six structural highs of up to 150 m.
Photo by Lee Siebert, 2002 (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.