The Active Volcano in the Azores; Sete Cidades

On the Portuguese island of Sao Miguel is one of the most beautiful but also dangerous volcanoes in the Atlantic. Known as Sete Cidades, its summit contains a 5 kilometer (or 3.1 mile) wide and 500 meters deep caldera. Within this caldera are several pumice cones that formed as a result of highly explosive eruptions. However, more recent eruptions have largely occurred off the western shoreline of the island. The last such eruption occurred in 1880.

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Graphics of eruption dates are courtesy of the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institute. https://volcano.si.edu/

Google Earth imagery used in this video: ©Google

Special Thanks for images of the caldera: Pedro Reis, @PeterIsland3 (Twitter)

0:00 Calderas in the Azores
0:29 Sete Cidades Caldera
1:13 Geologic Setting
1:52 Geologic History
2:48 Caldera Forming Eruptions
3:31 Post Caldera Eruptions

Thumbnail Photo Credit: Pedro Reis, @PeterIsland3 (Twitter), Used with Permission

Citations:
[1] Eruptive history and evolution of Sete Cidades Volcano, São Miguel Island, Azores, G. Queiroz & others
[2] Geology of Three Late Quaternary Stratovolcanoes on Sao Miguel, Azores, Richard Moore
[3] Smithsonian Institute Global Volcanism Program, "Sete Cidades"