From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Volcanic crater of
Diamond Head
in
Honolulu
,
Oahu
,
Hawaii
Volcanic crater in
Iceland
with a lake in it
A
volcanic crater
is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.
[1]
It is usually a circular basin. When active, there is a vent or vents inside it. From these
magma
erupts as gases, lava, and
ejecta
. A crater can be huge, and sometimes deep.
During certain types of gigantic eruptions, the volcano's
magma chamber
may empty enough for an area above it to subside. This dropped surface crater is called a
caldera
.
Media related to
Volcanic craters
at Wikimedia Commons