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8.3.7.1 Caldera

A caldera is a large basin-shaped feature, at the top of a volcano or at the location of a previously existing volcano, bounded by steep cliffs and sometimes occupied by a lake. Calderas are often formed by the subsidence of the top of a volcanic mountain, but can be formed by explosions as well. If the volcano is not yet extinct, one or more active cones or craters may exist in the caldera.


Images
Crater Lake, Oregon
Crater Lake, Oregon
Original picture from the Ward Collection
Crater Lake, Oregon  Crater Lake, Oregon 

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