About Mega Volcanic Field
Mega Volcanic Field is a volcanic field rising to 1,500 meters (4,922 feet) in Ethiopia's Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions. No historical eruptions have been recorded, though the volcano is classified based on geological evidence of past activity.
Geography & Climate
Mega Volcanic Field is located in Ethiopia, within the Kenyan Rift Volcanic Province of the broader Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions. Situated at 3.97° N, 38.21° E in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a tropical climate zone. With a summit elevation of 1,500 meters above sea level, Mega Volcanic Field is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a cluster, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.
Geological Context
Mega Volcanic Field is situated along a rift zone, where tectonic plates are pulling apart. As the crust thins and fractures, magma rises to fill the gap, creating volcanic activity. Rift volcanism typically produces more fluid lava flows rather than explosive blasts, which means communities near Mega Volcanic Field in Ethiopia generally face slower-moving hazards like lava flows and ground fissures rather than sudden pyroclastic events. However, rift volcanoes can still generate significant ash emissions and gas releases that affect local air quality.
GVP Reference Summary
The Mega Volcanic Field in southern Ethiopia is present on both sides of the 100-km-long NW-SE Mega escarpment, and covers about 1,400 km2. Franceschini et al. (2020) provides an excellent review of this field, from which most of this summary is taken. The field includes 114 monogenetic centers, primarily cinder cones and some maars; the largest maar is the 2.3-km-diameter El Sod. Uneroded lava flows often partially overly deeply eroded lava flows. Large lava flows are usually associated with cinder cones, but fissure-fed flows in the Megado area exhibit oriented spatter ramparts. One of the largest lava flows extends more than 10 km SW from the Mega escarpment and covers about 25 km2; it has a very fresh, black, glassy appearance of the surface, and minimal vegetation. Two samples analyzed by Franceschini et al. (2020) yielded 40Ar/39Ar ages of 0.116 ± 0.005 and 0.044 ± 0.008 Ma; two other samples indicated very recent Holocene ages. These are the first age dates available for this field, and are in agreement with the morphological interpretation of some young cinder cones and lava flows.
— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program
0 Recorded Eruptions
No eruption records available for Mega Volcanic Field.
Real-Time Data
USGS Alert Level
Thermal Anomalies
Frequently Asked Questions About Mega Volcanic Field
Is Mega Volcanic Field an active volcano?+
Mega Volcanic Field is classified as active based on credible evidence of past eruptions. Although its last known eruption was in prehistoric times, volcanologists consider it capable of erupting again.
How high is Mega Volcanic Field?+
Mega Volcanic Field has a summit elevation of 1,500 meters (4,922 feet) above sea level. At 1,500 meters, it is a moderately sized volcanic peak, roughly comparable to Mount Vesuvius (1,281m).
What type of volcano is Mega Volcanic Field?+
Mega Volcanic Field is classified as a Volcanic field. Volcanic fields consist of clusters of small volcanic vents and cinder cones spread across a region. Rather than a single central vent, eruptions can occur at many points across the field.
Where is Mega Volcanic Field located?+
Mega Volcanic Field is located in Ethiopia, in the Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions. More specifically, it lies within the Kenyan Rift Volcanic Province. Its exact coordinates are 3.971° latitude, 38.213° longitude.
Is it safe to visit Mega Volcanic Field?+
Mega Volcanic Field can generally be visited, but as with any volcano, visitors should check local conditions and any advisory notices before traveling. Ethiopia may have specific regulations for accessing volcanic areas. Guided tours are often the safest and most informative way to experience a volcano.
