Harra of Arhab

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Harra of Arhab
Sana'a volcanic field[1]
Sana'a-'Amran volcanic field[1]
Highest point
Elevation3,100 m (10,200 ft)
Geography
LocationYemen Yemen
Geology
Mountain typeVolcanic field
Last eruption500 CE ± 100 years[2][3][4]

The mainly Quaternary Harra of Arhab is the northernmost, historically active volcanic field (Arabic: حَرَّة, romanizedḤarrah) in Yemen. Also known as the "Sana'a-'Amran volcanic field", or simply the "Sana'a volcanic field",[1] it has erupted in ancient times.[2][3][4]


Morphology[edit]

The field is located on a 1500 km2 volcanic plateau. The plateau contains a few small (older) stratovolcanoes and 60 volcanic cones. The field is arranged on a north-northwest line. Younger basaltic rocks from the Pliocene-Holocene (northern end of the field), overlie Rhyolitic rocks from the Oligocene-Miocene, which covers most of the field. The volcano is located 30 km (19 mi) north of Yemen's capital city, Sana'a.[2][3][4]

Eruptions[edit]

A historical eruption in 200 AD (a VEI 2) took place on the flank of an older cinder cone (Jabal Zebib). Another eruption from the volcano in around 500 AD took place on the south flank of Kaulet Hattab cinder cone. It produced a lava flow that travelled for 9 km (5.6 mi), and caused some damage.[2][3][4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Harra of Arhab volcano". Volcano Discovery.
  2. ^ a b c d Neumann van Padang, Maur (1963), Catalogue of the active volcanoes and solfatara fields of Arabia and the Indian Ocean, vol. 16, Rome: IAVCEI, pp. 1–64, OCLC 886615186
  3. ^ a b c d Davison, I.; Al-Kadasi, M.; Al-Khirbash, S.; Al-Subbary, A. K.; Baker, J.; Blakey, S.; Bosence, D.; Dart, C.; Heaton, R.; McClay, K.; Menzies, M.; Nichols, G.; Owen, L.; Yelland, A. (1994-11-01). "Geological evolution of the southeastern Red Sea Rift margin, Republic of Yemen". Geological Society of America Bulletin. 106 (11): 1474–1493. Bibcode:1994GSAB..106.1474D. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1994)106<1474:GEOTSR>2.3.CO;2.
  4. ^ a b c d Baker, J. A.; Menzies, M. A.; Thirlwall, M. F.; Macpherson, C. G. (1997-10-01). "Petrogenesis of Quaternary intraplate volcanism, Sana'a, Yemen: implications for plume-lithosphere interaction and polybaric melt hybridization". Journal of Petrology. 38 (10): 1359–1390. doi:10.1093/petroj/38.10.1359.

External links[edit]