Extinct volcano
An extinct volcano is a volcano that is not active and is unlikely to erupt in the future .
Problem: extinguished or dormant?
It is difficult to distinguish an extinct volcano from a dormant volcano because geological time spans have to be considered. For example, a volcano can only be considered to have been extinct if the last eruption was hundreds of thousands of years ago. For example, the volcanic system of the island of Gran Canaria has been active for around 15 million years, interrupted by rest periods of up to 4 million years. So it is quite possible that apparently extinct volcanoes erupt again.
In order to arrive at a reasonable estimate of the probability of future eruptions, a precise analysis of the volcanic activity over the entire lifespan of the volcanic system is required. The most important parameters are the intervals between past eruptions (length of the rest periods).
There is no scientific evidence that the volcanoes of the Eifel in Rhineland-Palatinate have been extinguished. The Laacher See volcano erupted only 12,900 years ago and a new eruption is quite possible.
Physical definition
From a physical point of view, a volcano is extinguished when an eruption is no longer possible due to a lack of magma supply .
literature
- Hans-Ulrich Schminke: Volcanism . 2nd Edition. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2000, ISBN 3-534-17471-2
- Robert Decker: The elemental force of the volcanoes, From Pompeii to Pinatubo . Seehamer Verlag, Weyarn 1997, ISBN 3-932131-35-5