Veniaminof
Stratovolcano in United States
Key Facts
Elevation
2,507 m (8,225 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
56.170°, -159.380°
Region
Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc
Total Eruptions
24
Max VEI
VEI 6
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Eruption Timeline
Most recent confirmed eruption
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Historical eruption (estimated)
Overview
Veniaminof, on the Alaska Peninsula, is truncated by a steep-walled, 8 x 11 km, glacier-filled caldera that formed around 3,700 years ago. The caldera rim is up to 520 m high on the north, is deeply notched on the west by Cone Glacier, and is covered by an ice sheet on the south. Post-caldera vents are located along a NW-SE zone bisecting the caldera that extends 55 km from near the Bering Sea coast, across the caldera, and down the Pacific flank.
Historical eruptions probably all originated from the westernmost and most prominent of two intra-caldera cones, which rises about 300 m above the surrounding icefield. The other cone is larger, and has a summit crater or caldera that may reach 2. 5 km in diameter, but is more subdued and barely rises above the glacier surface.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows
- Lava flows
- Volcanic bombs and ballistics
- Lahars and mudflows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | 24 | High | Highly active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI 6 | Catastrophic | Global climate impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 5 years ago | Very Recent | Currently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 312070
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
A scoria cone on the Veniaminof western summit caldera floor was the source of the dark lava flow that melted through glacial ice. This photo was taken from the SE on 15 June 1984, two months after the eruption ended, and shows the rim of the 8 x 11 km wide caldera in the background. The caldera rim contains Cone Glacier on the west side (to the far left) and is overtopped by glaciers on the south and SE sides.
Photo by Betsy Yount, 1984 (Alaska Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey).
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.