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Kenya · Shield volcano

Barrier

Barrier, The

Type
Shield volcano
Elevation
1032m
Last eruption
1921
A northward-looking aerial view shows the summit caldera of Kakorinya volcano of The Barrier volcanic complex with Lake Turkana in the distance. The 3.8-km-wide summit caldera was formed about 92,000 years ago, and post-caldera lava domes and flows fill much of the caldera floor. Fresh-looking lava flows and tuff cones occur along the shores of Lake Turkana. Teleki's Cone on the northern flank and Andrew's Cone (lower left foreground) on the southern flank have been the source of historical lava flows.
A northward-looking aerial view shows the summit caldera of Kakorinya volcano of The Barrier volcanic complex with Lake Turkana in the distance. The 3.8-km-wide summit caldera was formed about 92,000 years ago, and post-caldera lava domes and flows fill much of the caldera floor. Fresh-looking lava flows and tuff cones occur along the shores of Lake Turkana. Teleki's Cone on the northern flank and Andrew's Cone (lower left foreground) on the southern flank have been the source of historical lava flows. · Photo: Photo by Martin Smith, 1993 (copyright British Geological Survey, NERC).
Type
Shield volcano
Country
Kenya
Region
Eastern Africa / Kenyan Rift Volcanic Province
Elevation
1032m
Coordinates
2.320, 36.570
Last eruption
1921
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Geological summary

The Barrier volcanic complex separates Lake Turkana from the broad Suguta Trough to the S, the site of a former lake. The volcano is comprised of four overlapping shield volcanoes, with the youngest, Kakorinya, located over the axis of the East African Rift. Kalolenyang volcano lies W of Kakorinya, and Likaiu West and Likaiu East are located to the ENE. A 3.8-km-wide summit caldera was formed at Kakorinya about 92,000 years ago. Youthful-looking trachytic and phonolitic lava domes and flows erupted within the caldera and along its ring fracture fill much of the caldera floor. Early Holocene fissure-related scoria cones and lava flows dot the S and N flanks. Solfataric fields are located within the caldera and on the W and S flanks. Historical eruptions from Teleki's and Andrew's cones on the N and S flanks, respectively, have produced basaltic explosive activity and lava flows during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Eruption history

12 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
7710 BCE~7389 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?958~1279 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 01600~1921 · 8 eruptions · max VEI 27710 BCE5463 BCE2894 BCE647 BCE1600

Detailed timeline

  1. 1921VEI 2Observed
    1921-12-31 – end unknown
    North flank (Teleki)
  2. 1920 (±3 yrs)VEI ?Method not stated
    1920-07-02 – end unknown
    South flank (Andrew's Volcano)
  3. 1917VEI 2Observed
    1917-07-02 – end unknown
    Andrew's or Teleki's Volcanoes
  4. 1906VEI ?Method not stated
    1906-07-02 – end unknown
    Andrew's or Teleki's Cones
  5. 1897VEI 2Observed
    1897-05-16 – end unknown
    North flank (Teleki) and Likaiu
  6. 1895VEI 2Observed
    1895-07-02 – end unknown
    North flank (Teleki's Cone)
  7. 1888VEI 0Observed
    1888-07-02 – end unknown
    North flank (Teleki's Cone)
  8. 1871 (±3 yrs)VEI 2Observed
    1871-07-02 – end unknown
    North flank (Teleki's Cone)
  9. 1090 (±50 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1090 – end unknown
    North flank
  10. 1050 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1050 – end unknown
    North flank
  11. 1030 (±150 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    1030 – end unknown
    North flank
  12. 7710 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    7710 BCE – end unknown
    North (Abili Agituk) and south flanks

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