Dom João de Castro Bank
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Dom João de Castro Bank | |
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Summit depth | 14 m (46 ft) |
Location | Atlantic Ocean |
Coordinates | |
Country | Azores |
Type | Submarine volcano |
Last eruption | 1720 |
Dom João de Castro Bank (also known as Don João de Castro Bank) is a large submarine volcano in the Azores in the central Atlantic Ocean. The volcano lies midway between the islands of Terceira and São Miguel and rises to within 14 m (46 ft) of the sea surface. The volcano has a large fumarole field and remains seismically active.
It last erupted in December 1720, forming an island of 1.5 kilometres (1 mi) in length and about 250 m (800 ft) in altitude. It remained above sea level for only two years, before rapid erosion reduced its height.
Two parasitic craters, both about 90 x 45 m (300 x 150 ft) wide, are located on the northwest flank. The younger crater displays a floor consisting of a chilled lava lake with polygonal surface fractures, while the older, less distinct crater is obscured by tephra deposits.
[edit] References
- Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program: Don Joao de Castro Bank
- Scarth, Alwyn; Tanguy, Jean-Claude (2001). Volcanoes of Europe. Oxford University Press, 243 pp. ISBN 0-19-521754-3.
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