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Damavand

Photo of this volcano
  • Iran
  • Stratovolcano
  • 5350 BCE
  •  
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 35.951°N
  • 52.109°E

  • 5670 m
    18602 ft

  • 232010
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: October 1999 (BGVN 24:10) Citation IconCite this Report

Morphology and brief description of summit from visiting excursion

On 1 August 1999, a group from the Societe de Volcanologie Geneve ascended the ice- and rock-covered summit. On the way up the N flank they saw vertical coal deposits below 2,450 m elevation, reaching thicknesses of tens of meters. Above 4,000 m elevation huge blocks were seen that appeared to have traveled from ~1 km above. Just below the summit were large sulfur-bearing blocks that appear to be mixed with a clay- like material. Within 100 m of the N rim of the summit chunks of pure sulfur were observed. The circular summit crater was ~150 m in diameter. In the center of the crater lay a small frozen lake approximately 40 m across. From the N rim of the summit, an active fumarole could be seen to the south.

Information Contacts: D. Zurcher and R. Haubrichs, Societe de Volcanologie Geneve (SVG), C.P. 6423, CH-1211, Geneve 6, Switzerland (Bulletin de la SVG, October 1999, p. 6 (in French)).

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Damavand.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

09/1993 (BGVN 18:09) Fumarolic vent on the crater rim; sulfur deposits

10/1999 (BGVN 24:10) Morphology and brief description of summit from visiting excursion




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


September 1993 (BGVN 18:09) Citation IconCite this Report

Fumarolic vent on the crater rim; sulfur deposits

A visit to the summit area . . . on 12 July 1993 revealed a small, powerful fumarolic vent on the S rim of the crater that was emitting SO2-rich gases at a temperature of ~50°C. Sulfur deposits also covered the surrounding slopes. The summit crater was ~150 m wide and 20 m deep, with a 40-m-diameter frozen lake in the bottom, surrounded by patches of snow. . . . there is no permanent glacier because of the dry climate. However, the upper slopes do contain scattered areas of hardened perennial snow (névés).

Information Contacts: J. Sesiano, Univ de Genève.


October 1999 (BGVN 24:10) Citation IconCite this Report

Morphology and brief description of summit from visiting excursion

On 1 August 1999, a group from the Societe de Volcanologie Geneve ascended the ice- and rock-covered summit. On the way up the N flank they saw vertical coal deposits below 2,450 m elevation, reaching thicknesses of tens of meters. Above 4,000 m elevation huge blocks were seen that appeared to have traveled from ~1 km above. Just below the summit were large sulfur-bearing blocks that appear to be mixed with a clay- like material. Within 100 m of the N rim of the summit chunks of pure sulfur were observed. The circular summit crater was ~150 m in diameter. In the center of the crater lay a small frozen lake approximately 40 m across. From the N rim of the summit, an active fumarole could be seen to the south.

Information Contacts: D. Zurcher and R. Haubrichs, Societe de Volcanologie Geneve (SVG), C.P. 6423, CH-1211, Geneve 6, Switzerland (Bulletin de la SVG, October 1999, p. 6 (in French)).

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.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

5350 BCE ± 200 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
5350 BCE ± 200 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: Uranium-series

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
5350 BCE ± 200 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
Deformation History

There is data available for 1 deformation periods. Expand each entry for additional details.


Deformation during 2003 - 2008 [Variable (subsidence / horizontal); Observed by InSAR]

Start Date: 2003 Stop Date: 2008 Direction: Variable (subsidence / horizontal) Method: InSAR
Magnitude: Unknown Spatial Extent: Unknown Latitude: Unknown Longitude: Unknown

Remarks: MT-InSAR reveals long-term, gravity-driven deformation at Damavand volcano.

Figure (see Caption)

A: Deformation field velocity in line-of-sight (LOS) direction of satellite, as obtained in descending geometry. B: LOS deformation as obtained in ascending viewing geometry. Area of Damavand volcano and approximate trace of active regional tectonic faults are marked by black and red dashed lines, respectively, and locations of global positioning system (GPS) stations at Polor city (PLOR) and Absard city (ABSD) are shown. Red star?the volcano summit. C, D: Comparison between InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) displacement time series and GPS time series at ABSD. E, F: InSAR time series in descending and ascending orbit at eastern and western flank, respectively. Note that because ascending and descending data are not simultaneously acquired, LOS displacement displayed on these graphs cannot be directly compared to vertical and horizontal velocities in Figure 3.

From: Shirzaei et al. 2011.


Reference List: Shirzaei et al. 2011.

Full References:

Shirzaei, M., T. R. Walter, H. R. Nankali, and E. P. Holohan, 2011. Gravity-driven deformation of Damavand volcano, Iran, detected through InSAR time series. Geology, 39, p. 251-254.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Damavand.

Photo Gallery

Damavand volcano in the Elbruz mountains, about 80 km NE of Iran's capital city Tehran, is seen here from the S flank, at an elevation of 3,500 m. The summit of the stratovolcano contains a well-preserved, 150-m-wide crater with a small frozen lake. Despite its elevation above 5,000 m, the region is too arid to support permanent glaciers. Recent lava flows from the summit and flank vents cover the W side of the volcano.

Photo by J. Sesiano, 1998 (University of Geneva).
Winter snows highlight morphological features of Damavand volcano in this NASA International Space Station image (N to the upper left). Lava flows with prominent levees can be seen at the bottom of the image and a small well-preserved crater can be seen at the summit. The volcano is located about 80 km NE of the capital city of Tehran.

NASA International Space Station image ISS010-E-13393, 2005 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).
Activity at snow-capped Damavand volcano, 70 km NE of Iran's capital city of Tehran, has been dominated by lava effusion and recent lava flows erupted from the summit vent to the W. The youngest dated lava flows were erupted about 7,000 years ago. No historical eruptions are known, but hot springs are located on the flanks and fumaroles are found at the summit crater.

Photo by Arad Mojtahedi, 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Damavand_in_winter.jpg).
Damavand is largely composed of pyroclastic flow deposits, tephra, and radial lava flows that have erupted mostly from summit vents to form the steep flanks. The summit is near the center of this October 2019 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top; this image is approximately 40 km across). The current cone has formed over the remains of an older cone.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2019 (https://www.planet.com/).
GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

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

External Sites