Tofua
Caldera in Tonga
Key Facts
Elevation
515 m (1,690 ft)
Type
Caldera
Location
-19.750°, -175.070°
Region
Tofua Volcanic Arc
Total Eruptions
11
Max VEI
VEI Unknown
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
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Eruption Timeline
Most recent confirmed eruption
Historical eruption (estimated)
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Overview
The low, forested Tofua Island in the central part of the Tonga Islands group is the emergent summit of a large stratovolcano that was seen in eruption by Captain Cook in 1774. The summit contains a 5-km-wide caldera whose walls drop steeply about 500 m. Three post-caldera cones were constructed at the northern end of a cold fresh-water caldera lake, whose surface lies only 30 m above sea level.
The easternmost cone has three craters and produced young basaltic andesite lava flows, some of which traveled into the caldera lake. The largest and northernmost of the cones, Lofia, has a steep-sided crater that is 70 m wide and 120 m deep and has been the source of historical eruptions, first reported in the 18th century. The fumarolically active crater of Lofia has a flat floor formed by a ponded lava flow.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows and surges
- Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
- Ash fall and tephra deposits
- Lahars and debris flows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | 11 | Moderate | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 1 year ago | Very Recent | Currently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Tonga-Kermadec Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 243060
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
A small plume rises from Lofia cone on the N side of the caldera lake of Tofua volcano in this 1990 aerial photograph. Recent tephra was emplaced onto the caldera rim to the NW. The steep walls of the 5-km-wide caldera are about 500 m high. Three post-caldera cones were constructed at the N end of a cold fresh-water caldera lake, whose surface lies only 30 m above sea level.
Aerial photo by Tonga Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Natural Resources, 1990 (published in Taylor and Ewart, 1997).
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.