Earth:Roca Redonda
| Roca Redonda | |
|---|---|
  Roca Redonda Galápagos Islands, Ecuador | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 67 m (220 ft) |
| Prominence | 67 m (220 ft) |
| Coordinates | [ ⚑ ] : 0°16′N 91°38′W / 0.27°N 91.63°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Galápagos Islands, Ecuador |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano |
| Last eruption | Unknown |
Roca Redonda is a flat-topped, steep-sided islet located roughly 25 km (16 mi) northwest of the island of Isabela, in the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. It measures 100 m (330 ft) long and 50 m (160 ft) wide with a maximum elevation of 67 m (220 ft).[1] Its isolation and inaccessibility coupled with its rocky cliffs riddled with crevices and crossed by ledges has made Roca Redonda a haven for nesting seabirds.[2]
This small volcanic island is the remains of a large shield volcano that has vastly eroded away below sea level. Potassium–argon dating of Roca Redonda indicates that the islet is at least 53,000 +/- 54,000 years old.[1] However, it remains unknown when the last eruption occurred from the shield volcano. Several shallow submarine fumaroles exist around the island and may indicate that the volcano is still active.[3]
See also
- Volcanoes of the Galápagos Islands
- List of volcanoes in Ecuador
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Roca Redonda". Smithsonian Institution. https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vnum=353807.
- ↑ Hess, John (2009). The Galápagos: Exploring Darwin's Tapestry. University of Missouri Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-8262-1837-7.
- ↑ "The emergence of a Galápagos shield volcano, Roca Redonda". Springer-Verlag. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225670475.
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