Yantarni Volcano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yantarni |
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Yantarni volcano, September 1985
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,383 ft (1,336 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, U.S. |
| Parent range | Aleutian Range |
| Topo map | USGS Ugashik A-4 |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Aleutian Arc |
| Last eruption | 800 BCE ± 500 years |
Yantarni Volcano is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano. It is found in the U.S. state of Alaska. This volcano sits on the Alaska Peninsula, which is part of the Aleutian Range. It is located between two other volcanoes, Mount Aniakchak and Mount Chiginagak.
Yantarni Volcano was not known about until 1979. This was because it is in a very remote area. Also, it had no recorded eruptions in recent history. Its top is not super high compared to other mountains. The volcano got its name from a nearby place called Yantarni Bay. Russian explorers named the bay because they found a lot of amber there. Amber is called "yantar" in Russian.
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What is Yantarni Volcano?
Yantarni is a stratovolcano. This means it is a tall, cone-shaped volcano. It is built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. These layers pile up over time from many eruptions. The lava that formed Yantarni is called andesitic lava. This type of lava is thick and sticky.
How Yantarni Was Found
For a long time, Yantarni Volcano was a secret. It is in a very wild and distant part of Alaska. There are no roads or towns nearby. Because of this, no one knew it was there until 1979. Scientists used special tools and maps to finally discover it.
Yantarni's History: Eruptions Long Ago
The volcano started forming a very long time ago. This was during the middle Pleistocene period. This period ended about 11,700 years ago. At first, lava flowed out from different spots. Later, a main vent formed. This vent helped build the cone shape we see today.
The Big Eruption Around 800 BCE
Yantarni Volcano had a major eruption a very long time ago. This happened around 800 BCE (Before Common Era). This means it was about 2,800 years ago. This was the only big eruption in its recent history.
Scientists think this eruption was very powerful. It was similar to the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980. During this event, part of the volcano's top broke open. A lot of hot gas, ash, and rock flowed down the volcano's sides. These flows are called pyroclastic flows. They covered a large area.
This eruption also created a lava dome at the top. A lava dome is a round mound that forms when thick lava slowly pushes out of a volcano's vent. Scientists measure the power of eruptions using the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Yantarni's big eruption had a VEI of 5. This means it was a very large and explosive event.
