Global Volcanism Program | Erciyes Volcanic Complex

Latest Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

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Latest Bulletin Report

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Erciyes Volcanic Complex.

Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Erciyes Volcanic Complex.

Bulletin Reports

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Erciyes Volcanic Complex.

General Information

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

213010

6880 BCE

3,864 m / 12,677 ft

38.531°N
35.447°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano
Caldera
Pyroclastic cone(s)
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Dacite
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Rhyolite
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite
Trachyte / Trachydacite

Tectonic Setting

Intraplate
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

1,715
8,036
767,813
1,817,720

Geological Summary

The Erciyes Volcanic Complex at the northern end of the Sultansazligi Basin in central Anatolia is dominated by the massive eroded Erciyes Dagi stratovolcano at the approximate center of a radial monogenetic volcanic field 32 km in diameter, extending further towards the N. Uslular et al. (2021) identified 100 lava domes (dacitic to rhyolitic), 40 scoria cones (basaltic to andesitic), four maars (basaltic andesitic), and 44 undifferentiated features as part of this complex. Growth of the modern edifice began about 900,000 years ago, following Pliocene caldera collapse of the Kocdag complex. The youngest dated rock was from an 83,000-year-old dacitic lava flow, but rhyodacitic eruptions and lava dome growth occurred later at the Perikartin dome. One of the latest documented events was an edifice collapse that produced a large debris avalanche that extended to the east. An early Holocene distal tephra layer in Lebanon was attributed to Erciyes Dagi. Uncertainty remains regarding reported eruptions and their possible depiction on Roman Cappadocian coins. Accounts possibly referring to eruptions could also be attributed to methane releases from a swamp in the Sultansazligi Basin.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Blumenthal M M, van der Kaaden G, Vlodavetz V I, 1964. Turkey & Caucasus. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 17: 1-23.

Develle A-L, Williamson D, Gasse F, WAtler-Simonnet W, 2009. Early Holocene volcanic ash fallout in the Yammouneh lacustric basin (Lebanon): tephrochronological implications for the Near East. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 186: 416-425.

Feraud J, Ozkocak O, 1993. Les volcans actifs de Turquie: guide geologique et itineraires de'excursions. L'Assoc Volc Europeenne (LAVE), 2: 1-82.

Gencalioglu-Kuscu G, Atilla C, Cas R A F, Kuscu I, 2007. Base surge deposits, eruption history, and depositional processes of a wet phreatomagmatic volcano in Central Anatolia (Cora Maar). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 159: 198-209.

Innocenti F, Mazzuoli R, Pasquare G, Radicati di Brozolo F, Villari L, 1975. The Neogene calcalkaline volcanism of central Anatolia: geochronological data on the Kayseri-Nigde area. Geological Magazine, 112: 349-360.

Kurkcuoglu B, Sen E, Aydar E, Gourgaud A, Gundogdu N, 1998. Geochemical approach to magmatic evolution of Mt. Erciyes stratovolcano, central Anatolia, Turkey. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 85: 473-494.

Pasquare G, 1968. Geology of the Cenozoic volcanic area of Central Anatolia. Roma Accad Nazionale Lincei Mem, 9: 55-204.

Sen E, Kurkcuoglu B, Aydar E, Gourgaud A, Vincent P M, 2003. Volcanological evolution of Mount Erciyes stratovolcao and origin of the Valibaba Tepe ignimbrite (Central Anatolia, Turkey). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 125: 225-246.

Stothers R B, Rampino M R, 1983. Volcanic eruptions in the Mediterranean before AD 630 from written and archaeological sources. Journal of Geophysical Research, 88: 6357-6371. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB088iB08p06357

Toprak V, 1998. Vent distribution and its relation to regional tectonics, Cappadocian Volcanics, Turkey. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 85: 55-67.

Uslular G, Le Corvec N, Mazzarini F, Legrand D, Gençalioglu-Kuscu G, 2021. Morphological and multivariate statistical analysis of quaternary monogenetic vents in the Central Anatolian Volcanic Province (Turkey): Implications for the volcano-tectonic evolution. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 416:107280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2021.107280

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed eruptive period.

[ 0253 (in or before) ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

0253 (in or before) - Unknown

Evidence from Unknown

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	Uncertain

6880 BCE ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

6880 BCE ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (calibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Ash

Synonyms and Subfeatures

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Synonyms

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Abas Tepe
Adas Tepe

Cone

Belesme

Cone

2700 m

Bokluca

Cone

Boz Dag

Cone

1772 m

Buyuk Kizil Tepe

Cone

Hasan Dagi

Cone

Karasivri Tepe

Cone

Karniyarik Tepeler

Cone

Kefeli

Cone

Kefenli Tepe

Cone

Kerem

Cone

Kirmizi Tepe

Cone

Kizil Tepe

Pyroclastic cone

Kizilkuyu Tepe

Cone

Kocdagi

Stratovolcano

2700 m

Kolanh Dag

Cone

Kucuk Kefeli

Cone

Olakkran

Cone

Saridag

Cone

Selimkartini

Cone

Siharslan Tepe

Cone

Sutdonduran

Cone

Tepecik Tepe

Cone

1827 m

Tepesidelik Damlaru

Vent

Topakkaya Tepe

Pyroclastic cone

Uctepeler

Cone

Ucuk Dagi

Cone

Yilbat

Cone

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Cardakh

Crater

Cora

Maar

Obruk

Crater

Sari Gol

Crater

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Ali Dag

Dome

Bil Tepe

Dome

Boz Dag

Dome

2321 m

Buyukkale Tepe

Dome

Carik Tepe

Dome

Dikkartin Dag

Dome

Dikkartini

Dome

Evliya Tepe

Dome

2023 m

Gogdag

Dome

Gok Dag

Dome

2194 m

Karagülü Tepe

Dome

Kartin Dag

Dome

Kavaklidag

Dome

2374 m

Kepez Tepe

Dome

2006 m

Kolanli Dag

Dome

2697 m

Lifos Tepe

Dome

Perikartin

Dome

Yilanli Dag

Dome

Yilband Dag

Dome

Photo Gallery

Erciyes Dagi volcano in central Turkey, seen here from the WSW, is an eroded stratovolcano that covers an area of 1,300 km². Numerous parasitic cones and lava domes are concentrated on its northern flank.

Photo by Richard Waitt, 1994 (U.S. Geological Survey).

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Erciyes Volcanic Complex in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

EarthScope Consortium SAGE seismic stations/networks

EarthScope Consortium operates the NSF Geodetic Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (GAGE) and NSF Seismological Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (SAGE). The linked map shows the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Erciyes Volcanic Complex. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

Large Eruptions of Erciyes Volcanic Complex

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).

Country	Turkiye
Volcanic Region	Western Anatolian Volcanic Province
Landform \| Volc Type	Composite \| Stratovolcano
Last Known Eruption	6880 BCE
Coordinates	38.531°N, 35.447°E
Elevation	3,864 m (12,677 ft)
Volcano Number	213010
Google Earth Placemark with Features
Cite Volcano Profile