Kinenin

Geography & Climate

Kinenin is located in Russia, within the Central Kamchatka Volcanic Arc of the broader Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions. Situated at 57.35° N, 160.97° E in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a subarctic climate zone. With a summit elevation of 583 meters above sea level, Kinenin is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a minor, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.

Geological Context

Kinenin sits in a subduction zone, where one tectonic plate dives beneath another, creating intense heat and pressure that generates magma. Subduction zones are responsible for many of the world's most explosive volcanoes and deadliest eruptions. For communities in Russia near Kinenin, this tectonic setting means the volcano is capable of producing powerful explosive eruptions, pyroclastic flows, and lahars that can threaten populated areas within tens of kilometers of the summit. The dominant rock type is basalt / picro-basalt, a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that forms from rapidly cooling, low-viscosity lava. Basaltic eruptions tend to be less explosive and produce fluid lava flows that can travel long distances. While less immediately dangerous than explosive eruptions, basaltic lava flows can destroy structures and infrastructure in their path, and volcanic gases released during these eruptions can affect air quality over a wide area.

Eruption History Summary

Kinenin has 1 recorded eruption in the geological database, spanning from 850 CE to 850 CE. The most powerful recorded event was a cataclysmic eruption with ash columns reaching the stratosphere in 850 CE, reaching VEI 4 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index.

Significance

With a maximum recorded VEI of 4, Kinenin has demonstrated the capacity for significant explosive eruptions that can impact regional aviation, agriculture, and communities tens of kilometers from the summit. VEI 4 eruptions produce ash columns reaching 15-25 kilometers into the atmosphere.

GVP Reference Summary

Kinenin maar lies at the eastern foot of the Sredinny Range, about 80 km NNW of Sheveluch volcano. The 2.5-km-wide, funnel-shaped maar was formed along the Kinenin River, a tributary of the Elovka. It is partially filled by a 1-km-wide lake whose surface is at 400 m elevation. The eastern rim at about 580 m is the high point of the crater. The eruption of Kinenin took place about 1,100 years ago, making it the youngest known maar in Kamchatka. Both silicic pyroclastic flows and mafic pyroclastic ejecta were produced, which were distributed primarily to the ENE. The location is north of the active Kamchatka subduction zone.

— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program