Calderas are among the most spectacular and active volcanic features on Earth. A large volume of magma is removed from beneath a volcano during these eruptions and the ground collapes into the emptied space to form a huge depression, or caldera. These volcanoes are formed by complex interactions between magma, groundwater, and the regional buildup of stress. Often new cones or lava domes may form within the caldera.
Aniakchak Peak, Alaska. Photo courtesy of AVO
Image courtesy of Alaska Earthquake Center.