Capelinhos volcano

This newly-born site results from a submarine volcanic eruption that started on 27 September 1957 and continued for the next 13 months, only 1 km away from Faial Island (Zbyszewski, 1960; Machado et al., 1962). It is the most recent of about 20 small monogenetic volcanoes along a tectonic alignment that contributed to the island’s formation and shape. The basaltic eruption started with the projection of volcanic ash accompanied by a large column of steam and volcanic gases. The accumulation of the tephra created a small islet that eventually connected to the island of Faial. The eruption then evolved to a subaerial style with the emission of scoria and lava flows. This eruption was accompanied by intense seismic activity that strongly affected the surrounding area. During the eruption, the volcano expelled around 174000000 m3 of volcanic material, covering the agricultural fields and adding 2.4 km2 to Faial Island – with only a fourth of this area remaining today due to sea erosion. The marks of this eruption remain, not only in the landscape but also in a cultural, social and economic frame. With the memory of the eruption, this surtseyan-type born tuff cone tells us the story of how volcanic islands are created.