Geography
Why Caldera Formation Follows Explosive Volcanic Eruptions
Quick fact
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 produced a caldera that is 2.5 kilometres across, yet the explosion removed only about 5 cubic kilometres of material—but the collapse lowered the volcano's summit by more than 200 metres.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a volcano that blows its top so violently that the ground collapses into a giant sinkhole—leaving a vast, flat-bottomed basin where a mountain once stood. Why does the eruption trigger a collapse instead of just a crater?