Martin
Stratovolcano in United States
Key Facts
Elevation
1,863 m (6,112 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
58.172°, -155.361°
Region
Alaska Peninsula Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Dacite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
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Overview
The mostly ice-covered Mount Martin stratovolcano lies at the SW end of the Katmai volcano cluster in Katmai National Park. The volcano was named for George C. Martin, the first person to visit and describe the area after the 1912 eruption.
It is capped by a 300-m-wide summit crater, which is ice-free because of an almost-constant steam plume; it also contains a shallow acidic lake. The edifice was constructed entirely during the Holocene, and overlies glaciated lava flows of the adjacent mid- to late-Pleistocene Alagoshak volcano to the WSW. Martin consists of a small fragmental cone that was the source of ten thick overlapping blocky dacitic lava flows, largely uneroded by glaciers, that descend 10 km to the NW, cover 31 km2, and form about 95% of the eruptive volume of the volcano.
Two reports of historical eruptions that originated from uncertain sources were attributed by Muller et al. (1954) to Martin.
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 | 73 years ago | Historical | Recently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 312140
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Mount Martin is located at the southern end of the group of volcanoes in the Katmai area. Gases rise from the summit crater and sulfur has accumulated on the snow and ice in this 1990 view. The crater, which opens to the east, is the site of intense fumarolic activity and sometimes contains a small crater lake.
Photo by Christina Neal, 1990 (U.S. Geological Survey, 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.