The crater of a young explosive volcano is identifies in the Djebel Uweinat (Sudan)


Norbert Brügge, Germany
Dipl. - Geol.

 

In the Djebel Uweinat - on the territory of the Sudan - can be found a new remarkable crater This crater is differently and very probable younger than all in the Gilf Kebir and Djebel Uweinat region known crater-shaped structures. In contrast to the up to now known plug structures is these an explosive structure.
The circular crater has a depth of about 50 - 90 m and a diameter of approximately 20" (~600 m). The southern rim of the crater is down eroded. The geographical position of the crater's centre is  21° 53' 13" N / 25° 10' 14" E.

    

     

               
Granite on the ground ?                                                                                                                     Possible sample of the volcano

To the clarification of the origin of the crater can contribute the kind of the rocks at the crater's ground and the kind of the deposits on the crater's rim.
Andras Zboray, Hungary told me: "Mark Borda has been into that crater last November (2007), he showed me photos of the rock at the centre bottom which is unmistakably granite. I had the same thoughts as you, but in light of this new information we'll have to thing of something else. I plan to visit it on one of the forthcoming trips."
The explosive volcano is found on a local granitic dome. It belongs likewise as a supposed dome under the Hassanein plateau to the large formation in the Libyan part of the Djebel Uweinat. The age of the crater is apparently younger than the other crater-shaped plug structures in the region (White Spot, Clayton Craters, Gilf Kebir craters-field etc.), which are emerged in the Oligocene. Similar as the Wau-en-Namus in Libya is a connection with the already finished volcanism in the Oligocene period probable. The crater is a "latecomers" of this past volcanic activity and is possibly emerged in the Pleistocene period. The fine deposits on the crater's rim are Lapilli or volcanic ash possibly, which the chimney has thrown out during the explosion.