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Duncan Canal

Volcanic field in United States

Key Facts

Elevation

15 m (49 ft)

Type

Volcanic field

Location

56.500°, -133.100°

Region

Queen Charlotte Volcano Group

Rock Type

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

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Overview

Basaltic flows in the Duncan Canal area of the central SE Alaska panhandle are both subaerial and submarine. Pahoehoe and aa lava flows overlie glacial till at Kupreanof Island. Quaternary basaltic lava flows up to 10 m thick form several broad peninsulas and scattered outcrops on the shores of Sumner Strait at the southern end of Kupreanof Island (Brew et al.

, 1985). On a peninsula in Kah Sheets Bay a basaltic flow depositionally overlies till of the youngest glaciation, and youthful-looking flows are exposed along a broad 12-km-wide front westward toward Douglas Bay. Two probable vents are found to the north within Mesozoic and Paleozoic rocks at the northern end of the Castle Islands in the Duncan Canal fault zone, and at Indian Point the flows contain inclusions of picrite.

At High Castle Island, the basaltic flows are columnar-jointed and overlie planar to cross-bedded coarse sandstone and poorly sorted volcaniclastic conglomerate.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

    Risk Level

    Population at RiskModerate
    Infrastructure RiskModerate
    Aviation RiskSignificant

    Geological Composition & Structure

    Rock Types

    Primary
    Basalt / Picro-Basalt
    Silica Content
    Low (45-52% SiO₂)

    Tectonic Setting

    Subduction zone
    Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

    Age & Formation

    Epoch
    Holocene
    Evidence
    Evidence Credible

    Eruption Statistics & Analysis

    MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
    Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
    Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
    Recent ActivityUnknownHistoricalHistorically active

    Monitoring & Alert Status

    Monitoring Networks

    Global Volcanism Program
    International eruption database

    Current Status

    Normal
    No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

    Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions

    Regional Volcanic Activity
    The North America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

    Quick Info

    • Smithsonian ID: 315050
    • Evidence: Evidence Credible
    • Epoch: Holocene

    About the Photo

    The Castle Islands (center) lie within Duncan Canal on Kupreanof Island in SE Alaska, as seen looking NW from the Lindenberg Peninsula. The Castle Islands mostly consist of Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks, but the northernmost island (far-right side of the island group) contains Quaternary basalts. Pahoehoe and aa lava flows are also found at the south end of Kupreanof Island, where they overlie glacial till.

    Photo by Susan Karl (Alaska Volcano Observatory, U S Geological Survey).

    Basic Information

    This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.