Gamchen
Complex in Russia
Key Facts
Elevation
2,539 m (8,330 ft)
Type
Complex
Location
54.974°, 160.703°
Region
Eastern Kamchatka Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Gamchen is a complex volcano composed of four stratovolcanoes, one of which is of Holocene age. Yuzhny Gamchen and Severny Gamchen are steep-sided eroded stratovolcanoes of Pleistocene age. Edifice-collapse events during the early Holocene produced several large debris-avalanche deposits below the eastern flanks.
Molodoi, a small stratovolcano with a shallow crater, is located on the E flank of Severvy Gamchen. Barany, a young stratovolcano with a crater 500 m wide and 200 m deep, is located on the SE flank of Yuzhny Gamchen. Barany is the source of a lava field extending to the E and NE that was active between about 3,600 and 3,000 years ago.
Lava domes are found on the flanks of the volcanoes; the youngest of these is Lukovitsa dome, which formed during the final stages of activity at Barany. No reported eruptions are known.
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 | 2214 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 300210
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The Gamchen massif, consisting of one Holocene and three late-Pleistocene cones, is seen here from the SE. The reddish Holocene cone in the foreground is Barany and has a 500-m-wide, 200-m-deep crater. Stratigraphic evidence indicates that it grew during several episodes of activity 3,600-3,000 years ago. Yuzhny Gamchen (center) forms the high point of the massif. Kizimen volcano is seen on the distant horizon left of Gamchen's summit.
Copyrighted photo by Philippe Bourseiller (Holocene Kamchataka volcanoes; http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/volcanoes/holocene/main/main.htm).
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.