Tahalra Volcanic Field

Volcanic field in Algeria

Key Facts

Elevation

1,467 m (4,813 ft)

Type

Volcanic field

Location

22.670°, 5.000°

Region

West Central Sahara Volcanic Province

Rock Type

Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite

Tectonic Setting

Intraplate

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The large E-W elongated Tahalra volcanic field covers an area of about 1,800 km2 in the Hoggar Province of southern Algeria. It lies WSW of the town of Tamanrasset and was active from the Miocene to the Holocene, producing alkaline Strombolian cones and lava flows. The field was constructed over Precambrian metamorphic and plutonic rocks of the Tuareg shield.

A dozen trachytic-to-rhyolitic lava domes and spines formed during the Pliocene, and Pliocene-to Pleistocene activity formed about 100 small basaltic (mostly basanitic) cones. The most recent activity, during the Pleistocene and Holocene, produced about 20 maars and cones along the northern margin.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite

Silica Content

Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Intraplate

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 Northern Africa Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The Northern Africa 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: 225004
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

The dark-green and bluish-gray areas extending across this NASA Landsat false-color image depict the elongated, E-W-trending Tahalra volcanic field, which covers an area of about 1,800 km2 in the Hoggar Province of southern Algeria. About 100 small basaltic cones formed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and the most recent activity during the late-Pleistocene and Holocene, produced about 20 maars and cones along the northern margin of the volcanic field.

NASA Landsat 7 image (worldwind.arc.nasa.gov)