Buldir Volcano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buldir Volcano |
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Buldir Volcano from the east
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,152 ft (656 m) |
| Prominence | 2,152 ft (656 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Buldir Island, Alaska, US |
| Parent range | Aleutian Islands |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Aleutian Islands |
| Last eruption | Holocene |
Buldir Volcano is an inactive volcano located on Buldir Island in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. It is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano. Scientists once called it "the westernmost volcanic center" in the Aleutian chain. Another younger stratovolcano, named East Cape, is also found on the same island.
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Exploring Buldir: A Remote Island
Buldir Island is very far away from other places. This makes it a difficult place to visit. Only a few scientists are allowed to go there.
How Buldir Island Was Found
A famous sailor named Vitus Bering explored for Russia. In 1740, he sailed to what is now the Bering Sea. He built two ships, St. Peter and St. Paul.
In 1741, Bering and his crew sailed towards North America. A big storm stopped them. They had to find land. During the storm, they could not see the Alaskan coast. The storm was too strong. So, the ships turned around. On their way back, they mapped several of the Aleutian Islands. This included Buldir Island.
Visiting This Special Island
Because Buldir Island is so remote, travel there is very limited. Only the United States Coast Guard can travel through the area. You need special permission to visit the island.
Most of the time, only people from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service can get this permission. For example, a scientist named R.R. Coats was allowed to study the island's geology in 1947.
Buldir's Changing Shape and Rocks
The shape of Buldir Volcano has changed a lot over time. It started as a smaller cone. Now, it is made of lava flows and pyroclastic debris. These are pieces of rock and ash from eruptions.
What Buldir Volcano Is Made Of
The volcano's rocks are mostly a type of basaltic lava. A cone made of tuff sits on top of the mountain. Tuff is a rock made from volcanic ash. This cone was built over the volcano's old calderas. A caldera is a large, bowl-shaped hollow. It forms when a volcano's magma chamber empties and the ground above it collapses.
When Buldir Last Erupted
Scientists believe the last eruptions on Buldir Island happened at least 2,000 years ago. These eruptions came from the East Cape volcano. They might have even happened before the Holocene period. The Holocene is the current geological time period.
Plants and Animals of Buldir
Buldir Island has a small number of different plants and animals. It is a very important place for some species.
Home to Rare Geese
The island is home to a special type of bird. These are the Aleutian cackling geese. The geese on Buldir Island helped save their species. Their population grew here. This stopped them from becoming extinct.
