Galapagos Islands Volcanos

Galapagos Islands Volcanos

The platform where the islands started their volcanic growth lies right on top of the Nazca Plate.

The plate neighbors with the Cocos and Pacific Plates, and moves towards the South American continent, and thus "carries" the Islands on top. The rate of movement (call it island speed) is about 7 cm/year. See Some Facts on Galapagos Islands

Underneath certain plates there are concentrations of molten rock, called Hot Spots in Galapagos Geology

These spots allow the liquid rock (magma) to percolate towards the plate filling up all cracks, crevices and in some cases reaching from below the bottom of the ocean, and eventually breaking the surface of the water.



These forces create Islands in the middle of the ocean, just like Iceland, Azores, Canary, and the closest example, Hawaii.

As the plates move in one direction, and over time, a chain of islands will be formed. These Islands will all be different in terms of age, altitude, and other physical factors like erosion, colonization, etc.

In Galapagos, the Islands to the east are older than those to the west, this implies that the Galapagos Hot Spot is right under the western Islands of Isabela and Fernandina. More About Galapagos Volcano Eruptions

As you visit this Archipelago, you will notice how different landscapes are. And more so if you see the opposite Islands from east to west.

These differences should be also related to the amazing wildlife diversity found here.

See Beautiful Galapagos Islands Pictures here

Without different ages, animal and plant colonization would have been a standard process.

The age of the Galapagos varies, and Islands like Espanola (Hood), Santa Fe (Barrington) and Floreana (Charles) belong the group of older Islands with ages that range 4-5 million years.



Islands within the middle range anywhere between 2-3 million years, like Santiago (James), Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) and Bartolome.

To the west, we find the youngest rocks on both Isabela (Albermarle) and Fernandina (Narborough), these barely reach a million years.

Visit the Islands on board the Best Galapagos Cruise Available

The latest Galapagos Islands volcanos activity was on Fernandina Island in 2005. Another recent eruption was on Cerro Azul, Isabela Island in 1998.

Constant seismic activity, fumaroles, and an occasional large puff of water vapor, are signs of ongoing volcanic processes.

Recommended Galapagos Reading:

The Diving Guide: Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands, is world renowned for adrenaline-charged diving and unique, fearless wildlife. These "Enchanted Islands" beckon both divers and non-divers from around the globe who come to dive with whale sharks and walk with giant tortoises. (This is the best diving guide I've ever read)

Chasing a Dream in the Galapagos: A Personal Evolution
A journey of self-discovery unfolds as a woman travels with her adult daughters to the Galapagos Islands to see natural selection in action. It's a travel book that will inspire you to take a trip of your own. (An Excellent Family Book)

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