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Morzhovoi

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Leaflet U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey | Policies

Facts

  • Seismically Monitored: No
  • Color Code: UNASSIGNED
  • Alert Level: UNASSIGNED
  • Elevation: 893m (2929ft)
  • Latitude: 54.9991
  • Longitude: -162.822
  • Smithsonian VNum:
  • Nearby Towns:
    • Cold Bay 14 mi (22 km) NE
    • King Cove 21 mi (33 km) NE
    • False Pass 25 mi (41 km) SW
    • Belkofski 32 mi (51 km) NE
    • Pauloff Harbor 38 mi (61 km) SE

    Distance from Anchorage: 636 mi (1024 km)

  • Subfeatures:
    • North Walrus Peak
    • South Walrus Peak

Description

From Wood and Kienle (1990) [1] : The "Morzhovoi Volcanics constitute a late Pliocene to early Pleistocene basaltic and andesitic stratovolcano. Volcanism culminated in the formation of a large collapsed crater. Though presently ice-free, extensive Pleistocene glaciation has eroded most original stratovolcano features, including the actual crater rim, leaving long U-shaped valleys." From Myers (1994) [2] : "The oldest volcano [of the Cold Bay Volcanic Complex] Morzhovoi Volcano, is of late Tertiary to Quaternary age, lies on the southern edge of the Alaska Peninsula, and consists of basalts, andesites, and associated pyroclastic rocks (the Morzhovoi Volcanic Series). Because it has undergone extensive erosion, only remnants of the volcano remain. Isolated peaks, e.g. North and South Walrus Peaks, that are fragments of the original caldera rim range in height from 797 to 893 m."

Name Origin

"Morzhovoi volcanics" is an informal name, named after the nearby Morzhovoi Bay. Captain Tebenkov named the bay "Za[liv] Morzhovoi" in 1852, meaning "Walrus Bay" (Orth, 1971).

References Cited

[1] Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada, 1990

Wood, C. A., and Kienle, Juergen, (eds.), 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 p.

[2] The tale of three Aleutian volcanic centers: The influence of time and space on magmatic processes in subduction zones, 1994

Myers, J. D., 1994, The tale of three Aleutian volcanic centers: The influence of time and space on magmatic processes in subduction zones: SUBCON, Interdisciplinary Conference on the Subduction Process, Catalina Island, California, 1994, p. 283-285.

Reported Activity

Modern Eruptions

0 Event Date(s)

Past Activity Legend:
Eruption
Questionable eruption
Non-eruptive activity


Map Images

Map References

Revised geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula, 1997

Wilson, F. H., Weber, F. R., Dochat, T. M., Miller, T. P., and Detterman, R. L., 1997, Revised geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-0866, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Preliminary geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula, 1992

Wilson, F. H., Miller, T. P., and Detterman, R. L., 1992, Preliminary geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-0545, 10 p., 1 plate, scale 1:250,000.

Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska, 1986

Luedke, R. G., and Smith, R. L., 1986, Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I 1091-F, unpaged, 3 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000.

Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska, 1978

McLean, H., Engelhardt, C. L., and Howell, D. G., 1978, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-0323, unpaged, 1 plate.

Geologic reconnaissance of Frosty Peak volcano and vicinity, Alaska, 1961

Waldron, H. H., 1961, Geologic reconnaissance of Frosty Peak volcano and vicinity, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-T, p. 677-708, 1 plate, scale 1:250,000.
full-text PDF 702 KB
plate 79 PDF 1.9 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

References

Geologic database of information on volcanoes in Alaska (GeoDIVA), 2022

Cameron, C.E., Crass, S.W., and AVO Staff, eds, 2022, Geologic database of information on volcanoes in Alaska (GeoDIVA): Alaska Division of Geologic and Geophysical Surveys Digital Data Series 20, https://doi.org/10.14509/geodiva, https://doi.org/10.14509/30901.

Alaska Volcano Observatory image database, 2016

Cameron, C.E., and Snedigar, S.F., 2016, Alaska Volcano Observatory image database: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Digital Data Series 13, https://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/. https://doi.org/10.14509/29689.

Preliminary database of Quaternary vents in Alaska, 2014

Cameron, C.E., and Nye, C.J., 2014, Preliminary database of Quaternary vents in Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Miscellaneous Publication 153, 11 p., doi:10.14509/27357 .

Subduction controls of Hf and Nd isotopes in lavas of the Aleutian island arc, 2010

Yogodzinski, G.M., Vervoort, J.D., Brown, S.T., and Gerseny, M., 2010. Subduction controls of Hf and Nd isotopes in lavas of the Aleutian island arc: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 300, p. 226-238, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.09.035 .

Quaternary geology, Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula, 2001

Wilson, F. H., and Weber, F. R., 2001, Quaternary geology, Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: in Gough, L. P. and Wilson, F. H., (eds.), Geological studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper PP 1633, p. 51-72.
full-text PDF 5.2 MB

Sector-zoned augite megacrysts in Aleutian high alumina basalts: implications for the conditions of basalt crystallization and the generation of calc-alkaline series magmas, 1999

Brophy, J. G., Whittington, C. S., and Park, Y. R., 1999, Sector-zoned augite megacrysts in Aleutian high alumina basalts: implications for the conditions of basalt crystallization and the generation of calc-alkaline series magmas: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 135, n. 2, p. 277-290, 1 sheet, scale unknown.

Quaternary stratigraphy and geomorphology of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula: a basis for paleoenvironmental reconstruction (glacial deposits), 1997

Dochat, T. M., 1997, Quaternary stratigraphy and geomorphology of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula: a basis for paleoenvironmental reconstruction (glacial deposits): The University of Wisconsin unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Madison, Wisconsin, 330 p.

Revised geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula, 1997

Wilson, F. H., Weber, F. R., Dochat, T. M., Miller, T. P., and Detterman, R. L., 1997, Revised geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-0866, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Sector-zoned augite in Aleutian high alumina basalt (HAB) lavas: implications for HAB crystallization and subsequent calc-alkaline fractionation conditions, 1997

Brophy, J. G., and Park, Y. R., 1997, Sector-zoned augite in Aleutian high alumina basalt (HAB) lavas: implications for HAB crystallization and subsequent calc-alkaline fractionation conditions: Eos, v. 78, n. 46, p. 795.

Late Quaternary geomorphology and stratigraphy of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula, 1996

Dochat, T. M., and Jordan, J. W., 1996, Late Quaternary geomorphology and stratigraphy of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula [abs.]: in American Quaternary Association Conference, Program and Abstracts, v. 14, 1996, p. 161.

Late Quaternary glaciation of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula, 1996

Dochat, T. M., and Mickelson, D. M., 1996, Late Quaternary glaciation of the Cold Bay region of the Alaska Peninsula [abs.]: Geological Society of America - Abstracts with Programs, v. 28, n. 7, p. 435.

Stratigraphic framework of the Alaska Peninsula, 1996

Detterman, R. L., Case, J. E., Miller, J. W., Wilson, F. H., and Yount, M. E., 1996, Stratigraphic framework of the Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1969-A, 74 p.
Full-text PDF 6.2 MB

Overview of Quaternary glacial, volcanic, and tectonic interactions on the Alaska Peninsula, 1994

Wilson, F. H., 1994, Overview of Quaternary glacial, volcanic, and tectonic interactions on the Alaska Peninsula [abs.]: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, v. 26, n. 7, p. 137.

Quaternary volcanism in the Alaska Peninsula and Wrangell Mountains, Alaska, 1994

Miller, T. P., and Richter, D. H., 1994, Quaternary volcanism in the Alaska Peninsula and Wrangell Mountains, Alaska: in Plafker, George, Jones, D. L., and Berg, H. C., (eds.), The Geology of Alaska, Geological Society of America The Geology of North America series v. G-1, p. 759-779.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

The geology, geochemistry and petrology of the recent magmatic phase of the central and western Aleutian Arc, 1994

Myers, J. D., 1994, The geology, geochemistry and petrology of the recent magmatic phase of the central and western Aleutian Arc: unpublished manuscript unpaged.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Preliminary geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula, 1992

Wilson, F. H., Miller, T. P., and Detterman, R. L., 1992, Preliminary geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-0545, 10 p., 1 plate, scale 1:250,000.

Compositional gaps, critical crystallinity, and fractional crystallization in orogenic (calc-alkaline) magmatic systems, 1991

Brophy, J. G., 1991, Compositional gaps, critical crystallinity, and fractional crystallization in orogenic (calc-alkaline) magmatic systems: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 109, p. 173-182.

Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada, 1990

Wood, C. A., and Kienle, Juergen, (eds.), 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

The Cold Bay Volcanic Center, Aleutian volcanic arc, II: implications for fractionation and mixing mechanisms in calc-alkaline andesite genesis, 1987

Brophy, J. G., 1987, The Cold Bay Volcanic Center, Aleutian volcanic arc, II: implications for fractionation and mixing mechanisms in calc-alkaline andesite genesis: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 97, n. 3, p. 378-388.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

The Cold Bay volcanic center, Aleutian volcanic arc: 1, Implications for the origin of Hi-alumina arc basalt, 1986

Brophy, J. G., 1986, The Cold Bay volcanic center, Aleutian volcanic arc: 1, Implications for the origin of Hi-alumina arc basalt: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 93, n. 3, p. 368-380.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska, 1986

Luedke, R. G., and Smith, R. L., 1986, Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I 1091-F, unpaged, 3 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000.

Nd and Sr isotopes in the Aleutians: multicomponent parenthood of island-arc magmas, 1986

von Drach, V., Marsh, B. D., and Wasserburg, G. J., 1986, Nd and Sr isotopes in the Aleutians: multicomponent parenthood of island-arc magmas: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 92, n. 1, p. 13-34.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Late Quaternary glaciation of the Pavlof Bay and Port Moller areas, Alaska Peninsula, 1985

Weber, F. R., 1985, Late Quaternary glaciation of the Pavlof Bay and Port Moller areas, Alaska Peninsula: in Bartsch-Winkler, Susan, (ed.), The United States Geological Survey in Alaska: accomplishments during 1984, U.S. Geological Survey Circular C 0967, p. 42-44.

The chemistry and physics of Aleutian Arc volcanism the Cold Bay Volcanic Center, southwestern Alaska, 1984

Brophy, J. G., 1984, The chemistry and physics of Aleutian Arc volcanism the Cold Bay Volcanic Center, southwestern Alaska: The Johns Hopkins University Ph.D. dissertation, 422 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

The origin of hi-Al arc basalts at the Cold Bay volcanic center, SW Alaska, 1984

Brophy, J. G., and Marsh, B. D., 1984, The origin of hi-Al arc basalts at the Cold Bay volcanic center, SW Alaska [abs.]: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, v. 16, n. 6, p. 455.

Isotopic and incompatible element constraints on the genesis of island arc volcanics from Cold Bay and Amak Island, Aleutians, and implications for mantle structure, 1983

Morris, J. D., and Hart, S. R., 1983, Isotopic and incompatible element constraints on the genesis of island arc volcanics from Cold Bay and Amak Island, Aleutians, and implications for mantle structure: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 47, n. 11, p. 2015-2030.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Petrology and geochemistry of the Cold Bay volcanic center, Alaska Peninsula, southwestern Alaska, 1983

Brophy, J. G., and Marsh, B. D., 1983, Petrology and geochemistry of the Cold Bay volcanic center, Alaska Peninsula, southwestern Alaska [abs.]: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, v. 15, n. 6, p. 534.

Tectonic controls on tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmatism in the Aleutian arc, 1982

Kay, S. M., Kay, R. W., and Citron, G. P., 1982, Tectonic controls on tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmatism in the Aleutian arc: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 87, n. B5, p. 4051-4072.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Geology of Amak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 1979

Marsh, B. D., and Leitz, R. E., 1979, Geology of Amak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska: Journal of Geology, v. 87, n. 6, p. 715-723.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska, 1978

McLean, H., Engelhardt, C. L., and Howell, D. G., 1978, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-0323, unpaged, 1 plate.

Pb and Sr isotopes in volcanic rocks from the Aleutian Islands and Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1978

Kay, R. W., Sun, S. S., and Lee-Hu, C. N., 1978, Pb and Sr isotopes in volcanic rocks from the Aleutian Islands and Pribilof Islands, Alaska: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 42, p. 263-274.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Geochemical constraints on the origin of Aleutian magmas, 1977

Kay, R. W., 1977, Geochemical constraints on the origin of Aleutian magmas: in Talwani, Manik and Pitman, W. C. III., (eds.), Island arcs, deep sea trenches and back-arc basins, American Geophysical Union Maurice Ewing Series 0001, p. 229-242.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Some Aleutian andesites: their nature and source, 1976

Marsh, B. D., 1976, Some Aleutian andesites: their nature and source: Journal of Geology, v. 84, n. 1, p. 27-45.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

The late Quaternary history of Cold Bay, Alaska and its implications to the configuration of the Bering Land Bridge, 1973

Funk, J. M., 1973, The late Quaternary history of Cold Bay, Alaska and its implications to the configuration of the Bering Land Bridge [abs.]: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, v. 5, n. 2, p. 162.

Geologic reconnaissance of Frosty Peak volcano and vicinity, Alaska, 1961

Waldron, H. H., 1961, Geologic reconnaissance of Frosty Peak volcano and vicinity, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-T, p. 677-708, 1 plate, scale 1:250,000.
full-text PDF 702 KB
plate 79 PDF 1.9 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

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