Earth:Ukinrek maars

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Short description: Two volcanic craters in Alaska, U.S.
Ukinrek maars
Aerial view of the Ukinrek maars in 2011
Highest point
Elevation299 ft (91 m)
Coordinates [ ⚑ ] 57°49′54″N 156°30′35″W / 57.83167°N 156.50972°W / 57.83167; -156.50972[1]
Geography
LocationBecharof National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, on Alaska Peninsula
Parent rangeAleutian Range
Geology
Mountain typeMaars
Last eruptionMarch–April 1977

The Ukinrek maars (Central Yupik: Ukinrek[2]) are two volcanic craters on the north side of the Aleutian Range in Alaska that were formed by a phreatomagmatic eruption in 1977. The maars are 1.5 km south of Becharof Lake and 12 km northwest of Peulik Volcano, on a low area of the range, bordering the Bering Sea. The western of the two is elliptical in shape and up to 170 m in diameter and 35 m deep. The other lies 600 m to the east and is circular and up to 300 m in diameter and 70 m deep. The east maar has a 49 m-high lava dome within its crater lake.[3]

The eruption occurred in March–April 1977 and lasted for ten days. There was no previous eruption. The magmatic material was olivine basalt from a mantle source. Pyroclastic surge from the eruptions traveled to the northwest.[1] The volume of lava erupted was 9×105 m3 and the volume of tephra expelled was 2.6×107 m3.[4] They were named shortly after the eruptions and the literal translation means "Two Holes".[2][5]

The Quaternary age Gas Rocks dacite domes some three km to the northeast were the site of a phreatic eruption some 2300 years ago.[1]

Ukinrek eruption in April 1977
Map showing volcanoes of Alaska

References