Kaguyak
Lava dome(s) in United States
Key Facts
Elevation
901 m (2,956 ft)
Type
Lava dome(s)
Location
58.611°, -154.024°
Region
Alaska Peninsula Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Dacite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
The 2. 5-km-wide Kaguyak caldera in the NE part of Katmai National Park is filled by a lake more than 180 m deep whose surface lies 550 m below the caldera rim. The volcano rises directly from lowland areas near sea level south of the Big River.
Initially considered to be a typical stratovolcano truncated by a caldera, the pre-caldera edifice has been shown to consist of nine contiguous late-Pleistocene lava dome clusters, most of which lie east of the present caldera. A large post-caldera lava dome extends into the lake on the SW side and another dome forms a small island in the center of the lake. The caldera is unglaciated, and distal tephras from the caldera-forming eruption have been radiocarbon dated at about 5,800 years before present.
Voluminous dacitic pyroclastic-flow deposits surround the caldera and reached Shelikof Strait to the SE.
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 | 5876 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 312250
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The small 2.5-km-wide Kaguyak caldera is filled by a lake that reaches 550 m below the caldera rim, seen here from the west. A lava dome extends into the lake on the SW side and another dome forms a small island in the center of the lake. The voluminous caldera-forming deposits have been radiocarbon dated at 5,800 years old. A large pre-caldera lava dome forms the high point on the eastern caldera rim. The broad valley of Big River descends to Shelikof Strait to the upper right.
Photo by Chris Nye, 1982 (Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Alaska Volcano Observatory).
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.