Simple facts
Where is it? aso caldera, Japan [32.882046866, 131.08448854]
What do you see in the photo? A giant caldera containing 17 different volcanoes
Who took the photo? Nameless astronaut (ISS) on the International Space Station
When did you take it? November 18, 2012
This stunning astronaut photograph shows the natural beauty of Japan’s shallow caldera, a giant crater-like bowl containing 17 different volcanoes left from a massive eruption spanning over 200,000 years.
Also known as Mt. Aso or Asosan, Sato Caldera is located in the heart of Kyushu, the third largest of Japan’s four major islands. The impressive structure is measured up to 15 miles (24 km) and is surrounded by ring-like ridges that reach approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) high.
The Caldera is home to 17 different volcanoes, leading from small vents in the landscape to quite a few mountains towering above the perimeter. The five largest corns in the region – Takadake, Nekodake, Nakadake, Kishimadake and Eboshidake are grouped near the centre of the caldera and are collectively known as “aso gogaku”. Each of these lofty peaks is taller than the outer edge of the caldera.
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Nakadike is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, most recently erupted in October 2021, according to the Smithsonian Association’s Global Volcanic Activities Program. Two other central volcanoes, Kishimadake and Eboshidake, are also active, but have not erupted for hundreds or thousands of years.
A 2018 study revealed that all three of these active peaks were fed by a large magma chamber located approximately four miles below the surface (6 km).
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Collectively, Aso Caldera is considered one of the nine “superorkuna” on Earth, as a network of volcanics can technically erupt in one major explosion. However, like other superstructures such as Yellowstone, this possibility that it will occur in the near future or in the distant future is very small.
Today, the land between the central volcano and the outer ridge is covered primarily with urban and agricultural buildings, and is photographed with grey and white spots, according to NASA’s Earth Observatory. However, in the past, most of the caldera beds would have been covered in trioes of ancient lakes that had since been depleted.
The ancient rivers that once discharged these lakes also carved an opening in the western wall of the caldera (the bottom of this image). This currently has the only major roads inside and outside the caldera.
Several hot springs are also dotted throughout the caldera. This is translated into the Japanese “hell.”
An explosive history
The ASO is carved into four major thermal clastic eruptions that occurred between 300,000 years and 90,000 years ago, according to the Earth Observatory. Most of Kyushu was covered with volcanic rock known as tephra as a result of these eruptions.
Thick ash deposits from the fourth and largest eruptions have also been found on Hokkaido Island, about 900 miles (1,450 km) north of the caldera. Experts now believe the explosion has reached level 8 with the volcanic explosive index. This is the highest possible level of any eruption.
Kyushu and other Japan are located along the Pacific Ocean ring. It depicts an arc of approximately 25,000 miles (40,000 km) surrounding most of the Pacific Basin. The region includes about three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial volcanoes, and is about 90% of all earthquakes.
The ASO is located directly above two intersecting fault lines where the Okinawa plate and the sheep plate collide and the large Pacific plate sinks under both, potentially contributing to the explosive past.
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