Mount Nemrut’s Compelling Caldera

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of the snow-covered caldera of the Nemrut volcano in eastern Türkiye, along the western shore of Lake Van. Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Daği) is a geologically young stratovolcano and last erupted in 1650 C.E.

The eastern half of the caldera is partially filled by solidified lava flows from past eruptions. Snow cover present at the time of this photo accentuates pressure ridges that formed as the lava was flowing and cooling. These pressure ridges vary in size, thickness, and orientation due to the varying viscosity and flow direction of the lavas during eruptions.

Lake Nemrut (Nemrut Gölü) occupies the western half of the caldera, creating a rough crescent shape that partially submerges the old lava flows. This freshwater lake, reaching up to 176 meters deep, is accompanied by a smaller lake at the upper-center of the caldera. This lake is fed by hot springs, which indicates ongoing geothermal activity beneath the caldera.

Source:

NASA Earth Observatory. (2024b, February 25). Mount Nemrut’s compelling Caldera.