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Caldera identification and geology

A large, roughly circular volcanic depression formed by the collapse of the ground surface into a partially emptied magma chamber following a major eruption. Calderas range from 1 to 100 km in diameter and are distinct from volcanic craters, which are smaller and formed by explosive excavation. Many calderas fill with water to form caldera lakes, and post-collapse volcanic activity often produces resurgent domes within the caldera floor. Field: volcanology. Example: Yellowstone Caldera measures approximately 72 × 55 km and formed during a catastrophic eruption 640,000 years ago that deposited the Lava Creek Tuff across much of western North America.. Related terms: Magma chamber, Pyroclastic flow, Resurgent dome, Ignimbrite.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.970235+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Caldera mean in geology?
A large, roughly circular volcanic depression formed by the collapse of the ground surface into a partially emptied magma chamber following a major eruption. Calderas range from 1 to 100 km in diameter and are distinct from volcanic craters, which are smaller and formed by explosive excavation. Many calderas fill with water to form caldera lakes, and post-collapse volcanic activity often produces resurgent domes within the caldera floor.
What is an example of Caldera?
Yellowstone Caldera measures approximately 72 × 55 km and formed during a catastrophic eruption 640,000 years ago that deposited the Lava Creek Tuff across much of western North America.
Which earth-science field uses the term Caldera?
Caldera is used in volcanology.
Which terms are related to Caldera?
Related terms in this reference are Magma chamber, Pyroclastic flow, Resurgent dome, Ignimbrite.

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