Longgang volcanic field
People's Republic of China · Asia
About
Longgang is a volcanic field in Jilin Province, China. It is also known as Chingyu, Longwan Group or Lung-wan Group. This volcanic field contains over 164 individual centres in the form of crater lakes, maars and volcanic cones and covers a surface area of 1,700 square kilometres (660 sq mi). The field is forested and mostly undisturbed by human activities. Longgang is located in an area of northeast China where the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, along with other tectonic processes triggers volcanic activity. Some other volcanoes are found in the region, most importantly Changbaishan volcano which is found in the neighbouring Changbaishan volcanic field (120km to the East). Volcanic activity in the field goes back to the Pleistocene. Jinlongdingzi cone suffered a major Plinian eruption in 350 AD or 460 AD, which was accompanied by ash fall and the extrusion of a lava flow. Future volcanic activity in the field may result in hazardous Plinian eruptions.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.