Question map
What is the depression at the top of a volcano following a volcanic eruption called?
Explanation
A crater is a bowl-shaped or inverted cone-shaped depression located at the summit of a volcano [4]. It typically forms as a result of explosive activity that ejects gases and tephra, or through small evacuations of magma from shallow levels [1]. While the term 'crater' is a general morphological description for such depressions, they are specifically distinguished from calderas by their size and formation process; craters are usually less than 1 kilometer in diameter. In contrast, a caldera is a much larger, cauldron-like hollow formed when the roof of a magma chamber collapses following a massive eruption [3]. Other volcanic features include the vent, which is the actual opening through which magma is emitted [1], and the magma chamber, which is the underground reservoir of molten rock [3]. Cinder cones are small volcanic hills that often feature a central crater at their summit [5].
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 11: Volcanism > Crater > p. 149
- [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 11: Volcanism > Cinder Cone > p. 153
- [2] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: Volcanism and Earthquakes > Extrusive Landforms > p. 30
- [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 11: Volcanism > Caldera > p. 150
- [5] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: Volcanism and Earthquakes > Extrusive Landforms > p. 29