Puhinui Craters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puhinui Craters |
|
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 21.5–22 m |
| Geography | |
| Location | Puhinui Reserve, Wiri, Auckland Council, New Zealand |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Maar |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Auckland volcanic field |
The Puhinui Craters are a group of special volcanic craters found in Auckland, New Zealand. They are located in the Puhinui Reserve and are part of the larger Auckland volcanic field. These craters were only officially recognized as volcanoes in 2011, which is quite recent!
It's very unusual to find a cluster of three small craters like these in the Auckland volcanic field. Scientists aren't sure exactly how old they are, but they think all three probably erupted around the same time. They might even be connected to the eruption of a nearby volcano called McLaughlins Mountain, but this is just a guess for now.
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What are the Puhinui Craters?
The Puhinui Craters are a type of volcano called a maar. A maar is a wide, flat-bottomed crater formed when hot magma meets groundwater. This causes a huge explosion of steam, gas, and rock.
Each of the three Puhinui maars is surrounded by a low ring of volcanic material called a tuff cone. Over many thousands of years, these tuff cones have been partly worn away by water. Small freshwater lakes formed in the craters shortly after the eruptions.
These craters don't stick up much from the flat land around them. This land is very old, from a time called the Pleistocene (also known as the Ice Age). Because they are so flat, people didn't realize they were volcanoes until recently!
Meet the Three Craters
There are three main craters in the Puhinui group. Each one has its own unique features.
Puhinui Pond Crater
This crater is easy to find because it's near the reserve entrance and has a farm pond inside it. The crater is about 200 m × 150 m (660 ft × 490 ft) across. The tuff cone rim around it rises about 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) above the pond.
Puhinui Arena Crater
The Puhinui Arena Crater has openings on both its west and east sides. It measures about 250 m × 150 m (820 ft × 490 ft) across. The bottom of this crater is flat and filled with dirt and mud. It sits about 2–2.5 m (6.6–8.2 ft) below the rim of its surrounding tuff ring.
Puhinui Eroded Crater
This crater is located just east of the Arena Crater. A small stream that drains the Arena Crater flows through it. The Eroded Crater has openings at both its west and east ends. Its tuff cone has been partly worn away by the nearby Puhinui Stream. It's not as well-preserved as the other two craters, but it's about the same size.
