Erta Ale
Location: 13.60 N, 40.67 E
Elevation: 613 m
Erta Ale is a continuously active basaltic shield volcano in the Afar
Region of northeastern Ethiopia, the most active volcano in
Ethiopia. It is in the Afar Depression, a badland desert area
spanning the border with Eritrea, and the volcano itself is
surrounded completely by an area below sea level, making it a
relatively low-elevation volcano. The 613-m-high volcano contains
a 0.7 x 1.6 km elliptical summit crater with several steep-sided pit
craters, one of them containing a lava lake. Another larger 1.8 x 3.1
km wide depression, elongated parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale
range is located to the SE of the summit and is bounded by
curvilinear fault scarps on the SE side. Fresh-looking basaltic lava
flows from these fissures have poured into the caldera and locally
overflowed its rim. The summit caldera is renowned for one, or
sometimes two long-term lava lakes that have been active since at
least 1967, or possibly since 1906. Recent fissure eruptions have
occurred on the northern flank of Erta Ale. Volcanoes with lava
lakes are very rare: there are only four in the world. Erta Ale means
"smoking mountain" in the local Afar language
and its southernmost pit is known locally as
"the gateway to Hell". Erta Ale is centered over
the east African rift system which is a triple
junction setting that is resulting in the formation
of a pull apart basin or rift. The volcano
comprises mainly mafic material which has
been brought up to the surface caused by
unroofing of the mantle due to the formation of
the pull-apart basin. Not much is known about
Erta Ale, as the surrounding terrain is some of
the most inhospitable on Earth and the native
Afar people have a legendary reputation for
viciousness towards outsiders. On January 16,
2012, a group of German, Austrian and
Hungarian scientists/tourists was attacked at Erta Ale. Five scientists/tourists were killed, some
taken as hostages and others wounded. The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front claimed
responsibility for the attack and released the two kidnapped tourists in March 2012.
click on Pictures to enlarge
28.-30. Jan. 2008
Video: Tommy Rodner
HOME
Region of northeastern Ethiopia, the most active volcano in
Ethiopia. It is in the Afar Depression, a badland desert area
spanning the border with Eritrea, and the volcano itself is
surrounded completely by an area below sea level, making it a
relatively low-elevation volcano. The 613-m-high volcano contains
a 0.7 x 1.6 km elliptical summit crater with several steep-sided pit
craters, one of them containing a lava lake. Another larger 1.8 x 3.1
km wide depression, elongated parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale
range is located to the SE of the summit and is bounded by
curvilinear fault scarps on the SE side. Fresh-looking basaltic lava
flows from these fissures have poured into the caldera and locally
overflowed its rim. The summit caldera is renowned for one, or
sometimes two long-term lava lakes that have been active since at
least 1967, or possibly since 1906. Recent fissure eruptions have
occurred on the northern flank of Erta Ale. Volcanoes with lava
lakes are very rare: there are only four in the world. Erta Ale means
"smoking mountain" in the local Afar language
and its southernmost pit is known locally as
"the gateway to Hell". Erta Ale is centered over
the east African rift system which is a triple
junction setting that is resulting in the formation
of a pull apart basin or rift. The volcano
comprises mainly mafic material which has
been brought up to the surface caused by
unroofing of the mantle due to the formation of
the pull-apart basin. Not much is known about
Erta Ale, as the surrounding terrain is some of
the most inhospitable on Earth and the native
Afar people have a legendary reputation for
viciousness towards outsiders. On January 16,
2012, a group of German, Austrian and
Hungarian scientists/tourists was attacked at Erta Ale. Five scientists/tourists were killed, some
taken as hostages and others wounded. The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front claimed
responsibility for the attack and released the two kidnapped tourists in March 2012.
click on Pictures to enlarge
28.-30. Jan. 2008
Video: Tommy Rodner
HOME
