Genovesa

Shield in Ecuador

Key Facts

Elevation

64 m (210 ft)

Type

Shield

Location

0.320°, -89.958°

Region

Northern Galapagos Volcanic Province

Rock Type

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone

Location

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Overview

The small, very low island of Genovesa is the top of a shield volcano. The surface of a summit crater lake is near sea level. A larger, 2-km-wide excentric caldera on the S side forms an embayment that is filled by Darwin Bay.

Sediment filling Arctulus Lake, a crater in the center of the island, is less than 6000 years old. Youthful flows erupted from flank fissures cover much of the island and very fresh, glassy spatter has been found (Simkin 1976, pers. comm.

). No historical eruptions are known, although the fresh-looking lava flows suggest a very youthful age. Basaltic rocks on the island are noted for their abundant coarse plagioclases.

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

Rift zone

Continental rift or intraplate setting with varied eruptive styles.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Evidence Credible

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	Unknown	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Pacific Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The Eastern Pacific 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: 353081
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

A sea lion perches on a tilted slab of a lava flow dipping toward the west side of Darwin Bay. A 2-km-wide excentric caldera on the south side of Genovesa Island forms an embayment that is filled by the bay. The small, very low island of Genovesa is the top of a shield volcano, whose summit is only 64 m high. No historical eruptions are known from Genovesa, although the fresh-looking lava flows suggest a very youthful age.

Photo by Carter Hearn, 2004.