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Report on Erta Ale (Ethiopia) — 25 January-31 January 2023


Erta Ale

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 25 January-31 January 2023
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2023. Report on Erta Ale (Ethiopia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 25 January-31 January 2023. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (25 January-31 January 2023)

Erta Ale

Ethiopia

13.601°N, 40.666°E; summit elev. 585 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Small thermal anomalies in both of Erta Ale’s N and S pit craters were identified in satellite images on 23 January. On 28 January the anomaly in the N pit crater was large and intense.

Geological Summary. The Erta Ale basaltic shield volcano in Ethiopia has a 50-km-wide edifice that rises more than 600 m from below sea level in the Danakil depression. The volcano includes a 0.7 x 1.6 km summit crater hosting steep-sided pit craters. Another larger 1.8 x 3.1 km wide depression elongated parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale range is located SE of the summit and is bounded by curvilinear fault scarps on the SE side. Basaltic lava flows from these fissures have poured into the caldera and locally overflowed its rim. The summit caldera usually also holds at least one long-term lava lake that has been active since at least 1967, and possibly since 1906. Recent fissure eruptions have occurred on the N flank.

Source: Sentinel Hub