Segula Volcano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Segula Volcano |
|
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,783 ft (1,153 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | North Pacific, part of Alaska |
| Parent range | Rat Islands (part of Aleutian Islands) |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Aleutian Arc |
| Last eruption | Unrecorded, within the last few hundred years |
Segula Volcano is a cool mountain found on Segula Island in Alaska. It's part of the Aleutian Islands, which are far out in the Pacific Ocean. This volcano is about 1,228 miles (1,976 km) west of Anchorage.
Segula Volcano is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano. This means it's tall and cone-shaped, built up by many layers of lava and ash. Even though it hasn't erupted in recorded history, scientists think it might have been active just a few hundred years ago. This is because some of its lava and ash deposits look very fresh.
Contents
Discovering Segula Volcano
Segula Volcano is part of the Rat Islands. These islands are a small group within the larger Aleutian Islands chain. This chain stretches across the Pacific Ocean, from Kiska Island all the way to the Andreanof Islands.
How Segula Volcano Formed
Segula Island and its volcano grew from the ocean floor. They sit on an underwater platform that also supports other Aleutian volcanoes. These include Khvostof and Davidof.
Long ago, hot lava and ash exploded from an underwater crater. This material slowly built up, layer by layer. Eventually, it grew tall enough to break through the water's surface. It started from nearly 350 feet (107 m) below the waves!
What Segula Volcano is Made Of
Segula is a stratovolcano, which means it's made of many layers. These layers are mostly hardened lava flows and pyroclastic material. Pyroclastic material is a mix of hot ash, rocks, and gas that erupts from a volcano.
The volcano has a cone shape, like a giant hill. It also has a long crack, called a fissure. The main crater, known as a caldera, is quite small. It's hard to see in photos because it's surrounded by old lava flows and a small cinder cone. A cinder cone is a simple, cone-shaped hill made of volcanic ash and rock fragments.
Signs of Past Eruptions
No one has ever recorded Segula Volcano erupting. However, there are many clues that it was active not too long ago. Scientists have found fresh-looking lava flows and other volcanic rock on the southern and eastern sides.
There's also a large underwater deposit north of the volcano. This deposit stretches for 11 miles (18 km). These fresh-looking deposits suggest that Segula has likely erupted within the last few hundred years.
Getting to Segula Island
The north side of Segula Island has steep cliffs. There's also a shallow reef in the water nearby. These features make it very difficult to reach the island from that side.
