Okmok
Shield in United States
Key Facts
Elevation
1,073 m (3,520 ft)
Type
Shield
Location
53.430°, -168.130°
Region
Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
The basaltic Okmok shield volcano forms the NE end of Umnak Island in the Aleutian Islands. The summit of the low, 35-km-wide volcano is cut by two overlapping 10-km-wide calderas formed during eruptions about 12,000 and 2,050 years ago when dacitic pyroclastic flows reached the coast. More than 60 tephra layers from Okmok have been found overlying the 12,000-year-old caldera-forming tephra layer.
Numerous cones and lava domes are present on the flanks down to the coast, including the SE-flank Mount Tulik, which is almost 200 m higher than the caldera rim. Some of the post-caldera cones show evidence of wave-cut lake terraces; more recent cones were formed after the caldera lake, once 150 m deep, disappeared. Eruptions have been reported since 1805 from cinder cones within the caldera, where there are also hot springs and fumaroles.
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 | 18 years ago | Recent | Recently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 311290
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The summit of 35-km-wide Okmok has two largely overlapping 10-km-wide calderas. Both calderas formed by voluminous eruptions of tephra and pyroclastic flows during the Holocene, one about 8,250 years ago and the other about 2,400 years ago. Numerous cones and lava domes formed on the caldera floor and flanks. Historical explosive eruptions and lava flows have originated from cones within the caldera.
Photo by John Reeder (Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys).
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.