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Calderas

Calderas are large volcanic depressions formed when the magma chamber beneath a volcano empties during a major eruption or when the ground above the chamber collapses after an eruption. Calderas are typically several to tens of kilometers across and can be circular, elliptical, or irregular in outline. Many calderas host lakes, volcanic domes, or hydrothermal fields, and some preserve concentric ring faults or resurgent uplift within their floors.

Formation and evolution: The principal mechanism is the collapse of the chamber roof following the withdrawal

Examples and significance: Famous calderas include Yellowstone (United States), Crater Lake (United States), Long Valley (United

of
magma.
Subsequent
intrusions
and
eruptions
can
create
renewed
activity
within
the
caldera,
including
the
growth
of
resurgent
domes
and
the
formation
of
secondary
calderas.
The
structure
can
remain
volcanically
active
for
hundreds
of
thousands
to
millions
of
years,
punctuated
by
large
eruptions.
States),
Toba
(Sumatra,
Indonesia),
Tambora
(Sumbawa,
Indonesia),
Santorini
(Greece),
Krakatau
(Indonesia),
and
Taupo
(New
Zealand).
Calderas
are
indicators
of
past
extreme
magmatic
behavior
and
are
monitored
for
potential
future
hazards;
large
caldera-forming
eruptions
have
significant
societal
and
climatic
implications
and
pose
hazards
to
nearby
populations.