When most people think of Romania, they think of Dracula, Medieval Castles, and Snowy Peaks.
It is not known for volcanoes.
Yet, recent studies have indicated that a potentially active volcano exists in the country,
called Ciomadul.
At depth, beneath the volcanic complex, geologists have detected a large volume magma chamber
with a volume of 10 cubic kilometers of molten rock.
The magma chamber produces large quantities of carbon dioxide, which rises to the surface
creating bubbling water.
This volcano last erupted 27,000 years ago and will certainly erupt again.
This video covers the recent eruptions from this Romanian volcano, and states the general
hazard which it poses in the future.
The Ciomadul volcano is located in central Romania, where it is 186 kilometers north
of Bucharest.
The Ciomadul volcano is not a typical stratovolcano with a tall cylindrical peak.
Rather, it is an unusual type of volcano called a lava dome complex, which consists of at
least a dozen separated or overlapping domes of lava.
The Ciomadul volcanic complex began forming 1 million years ago, as magma first reached
the surface in this section of Romania.
This magma erupted in a hilly area 4 kilometers to the east of the town of Bixad.
Over time, this eruption formed a 1700 meter wide and 300 meter tall lava dome.
The reason why this lava formed a dome instead of flowing a much further distance was due
to its viscosity.
This lava had a composition of dacite, which caused the lava to move at a very slow speed.
After this eruption, Ciomadul became dormant for approximately 300,000 years.
Then, 704,000 years ago, and again 641,000 years ago, two additional dacite lava domes
formed in the region.
The next volcanic eruption occurred 6 kilometers to the north 245,000 years ago.
Since the lava dome formed by this eruption is rather isolated, you can see the full extent
of its true unimpeded shape.
Then, 184,000 years ago, the magma at depth found a uniform path to the surface.
Since then, the eruptions have occurred in the same area, and built on top of one another.
I have colorized six lava domes with their respective ages as determined from radiometric
dating.
Then, around 45,000 years ago, a new section of magma moved towards the surface.
The heat caused by the proximity of this magma caused an at depth area of groundwater to
flash to steam, thus rapidly expanding in volume.
Eventually, this pressure became too much, and the volcano violently exploded in a large
phreatic eruption.
This explosion formed an 1800 meter wide and 200 meter deep maar crater which is now the
site of the Mohos peat bog.
However, this was not the largest eruption from this volcanic complex.
The eruption which was the largest occurred 31,500 years ago.
After a small lava dome was built on the surface, it exploded in what was termed a subplinian
eruption.
The remnants of this lava dome were later destroyed 4,500 years later when another explosive
eruption occurred, thus forming another large explosion crater.
Today, this crater is filled by a crater lake called Saint Ann Lake.
Since then, no additional eruptions have occurred.
Although Ciomadul hasn't erupted in a long time, we know that it is still active and
will erupt again.
Around 5 kilometers beneath the volcano there is 10 cubic kilometers of magma right now,
about half of which is in a molten state.
As such, the volcano could technically produce an eruption right now given the correct circumstances.
Also, at several locations around the volcanic complex there are hot springs which emit high
levels of carbon dioxide via bubbling.
Here is a video from a professor of Volcanology in Romania, showing how a lit match extinguishes
close to the ground where carbon dioxide pooled.
When the next eruption occurs, it will likely begin with the creation of another dacite
lava dome.
The main threat during such an eruption would be occasional short distance pyroclastic flows
caused by gravity related partial collapses of the lava dome.
Using the US geological survey method of rating volcanoes, Ciomadul would be classified as
a moderate threat volcano.
The odds of it erupting in any given year are about 1 in 19,000.
I hope that you enjoyed this video!
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