Akutan
Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc, United States. This page separates the permanent volcano catalogue, historical eruption records, and selective weekly activity reports.
- Coordinates
- 54.13° N, 165.99° W
- Elevation
- 1,303 m
- Last recorded eruption
- 1992 CE
- Historical eruption records
- 47
- Primary type
- Stratovolcano
- Evidence
- Eruption Observed
- GVP database
- 5.4.0
- Catalogue revision
- Revision 2
Volcano profile
- Volcanic landform
- Composite
- Tectonic setting
- Subduction zone / Intermediate crust (15-25 km)
- Geologic epoch
- Holocene
- Major rock type
- Basalt / Picro-Basalt
- Region
- North America Volcanic Regions
- Subregion
- Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc
Geological summary
Akutan contains a 2-km-wide caldera with a large cinder cone in the NE part of the caldera that has been the source of frequent explosive eruptions and occasional lava effusion that covers the caldera floor. An older, largely buried caldera was formed during the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. Two volcanic centers are located on the NW flank. Lava Peak is of Pleistocene age, and a cinder cone lower on the flank produced a lava flow in 1852 that extended the shoreline of the island and forms Lava Point. The 60-365 m deep younger caldera was formed during a major explosive eruption about 1,600 years ago and contains at least three lakes. A lava flow in 1978 traveled through a narrow breach in the north caldera rim almost to the coast. Fumaroles occur at the base of the caldera cinder cone, and hot springs are located NE of the caldera at the head of Hot Springs Bay valley and along the shores of Hot Springs Bay.
Separate activity dataset
Weekly volcanic activity reports
Smithsonian/USGS weekly reports are selective and preliminary. They are not a comprehensive list of all eruptions or volcanic activity.
No weekly report appears on this page. Absence from the weekly report does not establish an absence of volcanic activity.
Historical catalogue records
Eruption history
Dates can be approximate, incomplete, or BCE. These are historical catalogue observations, not a statement about present activity.
| Start | End | Activity | Confirmation | VEI | Evidence | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-12-18 CE | 1992-12-18 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20038Database 5.4.0 |
| 1992-03-08 CE | 1992-05-21 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20037Database 5.4.0 |
| 1991-09-15 CE | 1991-10-29 CE (day uncertainty +/- 1) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20036Database 5.4.0 |
| 1990-01-26 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | 1990-01-26 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20034Database 5.4.0 |
| 1990-09-06 CE | 1990-10-01 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20035Database 5.4.0 |
| 1989-02-27 CE | 1989-03-28 CE (day qualifier <) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20033Database 5.4.0 |
| 1988-03-26 CE | 1988-07-20 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20032Database 5.4.0 |
| 1987-01-31 CE | 1987-06-24 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20031Database 5.4.0 |
| 1986-03-18 CE | 1986-06-30 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20030Database 5.4.0 |
| 1982-10-05 CE (day uncertainty +/- 4) | 1983-05-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20029Database 5.4.0 |
| 1980-07-03 CE (day qualifier <) | 1980-07-08 CE (day qualifier ?) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20028Database 5.4.0 |
| 1978-09-25 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | 1978-10-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20027Database 5.4.0 |
| 1976-10-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 45) | 1977-05-09 CE (day qualifier >) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20025Database 5.4.0 |
| 1974-02-11 CE (day qualifier <) | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionWest flank ? | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20024Database 5.4.0 |
| 1973-03-16 CE (day qualifier ?, day uncertainty +/- 15) | 1973-05-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20023Database 5.4.0 |
| 1972-09-16 CE (day qualifier ?, day uncertainty +/- 15) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | ?2 | Not supplied | GVP 20022Database 5.4.0 |
| 1962-11-05 CE (day uncertainty +/- 4) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20021Database 5.4.0 |
| 1953-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20020Database 5.4.0 |
| 1951-10-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20019Database 5.4.0 |
| 1948-04-29 CE | 1948-08-07 CE (day qualifier >) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20018Database 5.4.0 |
| 1946-12-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | 1947-01-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20017Database 5.4.0 |
| 1931-05-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | 1931-08-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20016Database 5.4.0 |
| 1929-05-16 CE (day qualifier ?, day uncertainty +/- 15) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20015Database 5.4.0 |
| 1927-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | 1928-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20014Database 5.4.0 |
| 1912-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 20013Database 5.4.0 |
| 1911-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20012Database 5.4.0 |
| 1908-02-22 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 0 | Observations: Reported | GVP 19838Database 5.4.0 |
| 1907-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 20011Database 5.4.0 |
| 1896-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 20010Database 5.4.0 |
| 1895-08-01 CE | 1895-08-14 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 21085Database 5.4.0 |
| 1892-09-23 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20009Database 5.4.0 |
| 1887-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 0 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20008Database 5.4.0 |
| 1883-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20007Database 5.4.0 |
| 1867-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 20006Database 5.4.0 |
| 1865-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 20005Database 5.4.0 |
| 1862-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 20004Database 5.4.0 |
| 1852-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionNW flank (Lava Point) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 20003Database 5.4.0 |
| 1848-03-05 CE (day uncertainty +/- 4) | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 2 | Observations: Reported | GVP 20002Database 5.4.0 |
| 1845-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 20001Database 5.4.0 |
| 1838-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 20000Database 5.4.0 |
| 1828-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 19999Database 5.4.0 |
| 1790 CE | Not supplied | Uncertain Eruption | Uncertain | Not supplied | Not supplied | GVP 19998Database 5.4.0 |
| 1420 ±100 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) | GVP 19997Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 550 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 19996Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 340 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 5 | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 19995Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 4151 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 19994Database 5.4.0 |
| 7621 ±300 years BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) | GVP 19993Database 5.4.0 |
Source and attribution
Source: Data: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Volcanoes of the World.
View the original Smithsonian GVP recordGlobal Volcanism Program, 2026. Volcanoes of the World 5.4.0.
The GVP database is scientific documentation that changes as evidence is reviewed. Historical dates may be approximate or uncertain. This platform is not an official emergency-warning service.
Read the GVP terms of useData freshness
- Source updated
- Not supplied
- Retrieved
- 11 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC
- GVP database version
- 5.4.0
- Catalogue revision
- 2
Source-update and retrieval times describe this catalogue record. Each weekly report carries its own publication date and preliminary status.