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Kerguelen Islands   »  Summary

Kerguelen Islands

Kerguelen Islands Photo

Country:France
Subregion Name:Southern Indian Ocean
Volcano Number:0304-02=
Volcano Type: Stratovolcanoes
Volcano Status:Holocene?
Last Known Eruption: Unknown
Summit Elevation: 1840 m 6,037 feet
Latitude: 49.58°S 49°35'0"S
Longitude: 69.50°E 69°30'0"E

The Kerguelen Islands are composed primarily of Tertiary flood basalts and a complex of plutonic rocks. The trachybasaltic-to-trachytic Mount Ross stratovolcano at the southern end was active during the late Pleistocene. The Rallier du Baty Peninsula on the SW tip of the island contains two youthful subglacial eruptive centers, Mont St. Allouarn and Mont Henri Rallier du Baty. An active fumarole field is related to a series of Holocene trachytic lava flows and lahars that extend beyond the icecap (Ballestracci and Nougier, 1984). Gagnevin et al. (2003) dated a trachytic ignimbrite that was considered to represent the last major eruptive event on the Kerguelen Archipelago at 26,000 +/- 3000 years.

Global Volcanism ProgramDepartment of Mineral SciencesNational Museum of Natural HistorySmithsonian Institution

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