Open AccessAssessing Volcanic Risk in Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Lindsay Jan Marie,
Rashad Moufti Mohammed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2014eo310002
Subject(s) - volcano , lava , lava field , geology , seismology , population , basalt , earth science , medicine , environmental health
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has numerous large monogenetic volcanic fields, known locally as “harrats.” The largest of these, Harrat Rahat (Figure 1), produced a basaltic fissure eruption in 1256 C.E. with lava flows traveling within 20 kilometers of the city Al‐Madinah, which currently has a population of 1.5 million plus an additional 3 million pilgrims annually. With more than 950 visible vents and periodic seismic swarms, an understanding of the risk of future eruptions in this volcanic field is vital.