Home
Volcanoes
Webcams
News
Explore Data
Images
Get Involved
About AVO

Davidof

MarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarkerMarker
Legend
✕
Red (Warning)
Orange (Watch)
Yellow (Advisory)
Green (Normal)
Uninstrumented
Community
Webcam
Instrument
Earthquake

5 km
5 mi
Leaflet U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey | Policies

Facts

  • Official Name: Davidof Island
  • Seismically Monitored: No
  • Color Code: UNASSIGNED
  • Alert Level: UNASSIGNED
  • Elevation: 328m (1076ft)
  • Latitude: 51.9542
  • Longitude: 178.326
  • Smithsonian VNum: 311040
  • Pronunciation:
  • Nearby Towns:
    • Shemya Station 186 mi (299 km) NW
    • Adak 215 mi (346 km) SE
    • Attu Station 225 mi (362 km) NW
    • Atka 318 mi (511 km) NE
    • Nikolski 543 mi (874 km) NE

    Distance from Anchorage: 1349 mi (2171 km)

  • Subfeatures:
    • Khvostof
    • Pyramid Island
    • Lopy Island
    • Crater Bay

Description

From Wood and Kienle (1990) [1] : "Davidof, Khvostof, and nearby small islands Pyramid and Lopy rise 100 m above a submarine platform as the remnants of a collapsed caldera. This 'Aleutian Krakatoa' is thought to have formed during the late Tertiary, but the volcano is essentially unstudied. The islands are covered by vegetation; however lava flows can be recognized on aerial photographs. Lavas and pyroclastic layers form the islands, and rocks on the northern part of Davidof and Lopy Island are intensely hydrothermally altered."

Name Origin

Davidof Island's name was published by Admiral von Krusenstern (1827), for the Russian naval officer Gavriil Ivanovich Davidov, who, with N.A. Khvostov, explored Alaska during 1802-1804. Admiral von Kruzenstern applied the name "I[sle] Dawydoff" to Segula Island, but in 1855 the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office clarified the size and position of both Davidof and Segula Islands and reapplied the names (Orth, 1971).

References Cited

[1] Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada, 1990

Wood, C. A., and Kienle, Juergen, (eds.), 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 p.

Current Activity

No new updates for Davidof volcano since April 22, 2022, 1:56 pm.

Recent Updates

Webicorder

Color Code Timeline

Ashfall and ash cloud forecasts: Model output

Reported Activity

Modern Eruptions

Davidof

Davidof Eruption Timeline

Loading

Davidof 2021 unrest

December 7, 2021 — April 22, 2022

From Orr and others, 2024: "On December 7, 2021, at 15:33 HAST (December 8 at 01:33 UTC), an earthquake swarm occurred 7.5 km north of Davidof volcano. During the first few days of the swarm, several energetic earthquake bursts took place, the largest of which was a ML 4.2 on December 10. The sudden increase in seismic activity was uncharacteristic of the area, prompting AVO to raise the Aviation Color Code and Volcano Alert Level from UNASSIGNED to YELLOW and ADVISORY on December 10 in anticipation of possible volcanic activity.
"Seismicity waned gradually over the next week and the swarm seemingly ceased on December 20. The hypocenters of earthquakes from the swarm formed a northeast-southwest trending lineation north of the volcano. However, this linear trend is interpreted to be an artifact because the earthquakes were located outside the regional network-the closest seismic stations are the four on Little Sitkin Island, ~12 km [~7 mi] east of Davidof volcano. The earthquakes occurred at a variety of depths, the deepest of which was 9.8 km [6.1 mi] below sea level. Notably, the swarm produced 2 earthquakes of ML >4 and 13 earthquakes of ML >3. On December 29, more than one week after the swarm ended, AVO lowered the Aviation Color Code and Volcano Alert Level of Davidof volcano to UNASSIGNED."
AVO raised Davidof to YELLOW/ADVISORY again on January 26, 2022, stating "over the past two days a swarm of earthquakes has occurred in the vicinity of Davidof volcano. The largest earthquake in the current sequence happened yesterday at 4:02 PM AKST (January 26, 01:02 UTC) and had a magnitude of 4.9. A similar earthquake swarm occurred in December 2021. No signs of unrest have been observed in recent satellite images of the volcano."
Elevated seismic activity continued for a few months, occasionally including earthquakes of ML = 3. Afterwards, seismicity gradually declined, and AVO lowered the alert levels to UNASSIGNED on April 22, 2022.

Loading

Davidof 2021 unrest

Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Jan.
March
April
May
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Nov. 3
Nov. 4
Nov. 5
Nov. 6
Nov. 7
Nov. 8
Nov. 9
Nov. 10
Nov. 11
Nov. 12
Nov. 13
Nov. 14
Nov. 15
Nov. 16
Nov. 17
Nov. 18
Nov. 19
Nov. 20
Nov. 21
Nov. 22
Nov. 23
Nov. 24
Nov. 25
Nov. 26
Nov. 27
Nov. 28
Nov. 29
Nov. 30
Dec. 2
Dec. 3
Dec. 4
Dec. 5
Dec. 6
Dec. 7
Dec. 8
Dec. 9
Dec. 10
Dec. 11
Dec. 12
Dec. 13
Dec. 14
Dec. 15
Dec. 16
Dec. 17
Dec. 18
Dec. 19
Dec. 20
Dec. 21
Dec. 22
Dec. 23
Dec. 24
Dec. 25
Dec. 26
Dec. 27
Dec. 28
Dec. 29
Dec. 30
Dec. 31
Jan. 2
Jan. 3
Jan. 4
Jan. 5
Jan. 6
Jan. 7
Jan. 8
Jan. 9
Jan. 10
Jan. 11
Jan. 12
Jan. 13
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Jan. 16
Jan. 17
Jan. 18
Jan. 19
Jan. 20
Jan. 21
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 24
Jan. 25
Jan. 26
Jan. 27
Jan. 28
Jan. 29
Jan. 30
Jan. 31
Feb. 2
Feb. 3
Feb. 4
Feb. 5
Feb. 6
Feb. 7
Feb. 8
Feb. 9
Feb. 10
Feb. 11
Feb. 12
Feb. 13
Feb. 14
Feb. 15
Feb. 16
Feb. 17
Feb. 18
Feb. 19
Feb. 20
Feb. 21
Feb. 22
Feb. 23
Feb. 24
Feb. 25
Feb. 26
Feb. 27
Feb. 28
March 2
March 3
March 4
March 5
March 6
March 7
March 8
March 9
March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
March 14
March 15
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
March 23
March 24
March 25
March 26
March 27
March 28
March 29
March 30
March 31
April 2
April 3
April 4
April 5
April 6
April 7
April 8
April 9
April 10
April 11
April 12
April 13
April 14
April 15
April 16
April 17
April 18
April 19
April 20
April 21
April 22
April 23
April 24
April 25
April 26
April 27
April 28
April 29
April 30
May 2
May 3
May 4
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
TimelineJS

1 Event Date(s)

Past Activity Legend:
Eruption
Questionable eruption
Non-eruptive activity


Showing 1 - 20 of 45

Map Images

Map References

Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the western Aleutian islands, Alaska, 2006

Wilson, F.H., Mohadjer, Solmaz, Labay, K.A., Shew, Nora, and Grey, D.M., 2006, Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the western Aleutian islands, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1302, 1 p., available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1302/

Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska, 1986

Luedke, R. G., and Smith, R. L., 1986, Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I 1091-F, unpaged, 3 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000.

Geothermal energy resources of Alaska, 1980

Turner, D. L., Forbes, R. B., Albanese, Mary, Macbeth, Joyce, Lockhart, A. B., and Seed, S. M., 1980, Geothermal energy resources of Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Report UAG-R 279, 19 p., 3 sheets, scale 1 at 1:2,500,000.

Geology of Segula, Davidof and Khvostof Islands, Alaska, 1959

Nelson, W. H., 1959, Geology of Segula, Davidof and Khvostof Islands, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-K, p. 257-266, 2 sheets, scale 1:25,000.
full-text PDF 1.6 MB
plate 37 PDF 2.9 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Ocean floor structures, northeastern Rat Islands, Alaska, 1957

Snyder, G. L., 1957, Ocean floor structures, northeastern Rat Islands, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-G, p. 161-167, 1 plate, scale 1:125,000.
full-text PDF 325 KB
plate 22 PDF 5.6 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

References

2022 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Northern Mariana Islands—Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory, 2025

Orr, T.R., Dietterich, H.R., Grapenthin, R., Haney, M.M., Loewen, M.W., Saunders-Schultz, P., Tan, D., Waythomas, C.F., and Wech, A.G., 2025, 2022 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Northern Mariana Islands-Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024-5108, 46 p. https://doi.org/ 10.3133/sir20245108
Full-text PDF 12.8 MB

2021 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory, 2024

Orr, T.R., Dietterich, H.R., Fee D., Girona, T., Grapenthin, R., Haney, M.M., Loewen, M.W., Lyons, J.J., Power, J.A., Schwaiger, H.F., Schneider, D.J., Tan, D., Toney, L., Wasser, V.K., and Waythomas, C.F., 2024, 2021 Volcanic activity in Alaska and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2024-5014, 64 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245014.
Full-text PDF 25.7 MB

Davidof volcano samples and analyses, 2023

Loewen, M.W., Dietterich, Hannah, and Rosenkrans, H.S., 2023, Davidof volcano samples and analyses: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2023-22, 4 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/31084.

Probabilistic source classification of large tephra producing eruptions using supervised machine learning - an example from the Alaska-Aleutian Arc, 2023

Lubbers, J., Loewen, M., Wallace, K., Coombs, M., and Addison, J., 2023, Probabilistic source classification of large tephra producing eruptions using supervised machine learning - an example from the Alaska-Aleutian Arc: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems v. 24, no. 11, e2023GC011037. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011037.

Geologic database of information on volcanoes in Alaska (GeoDIVA), 2022

Cameron, C.E., Crass, S.W., and AVO Staff, eds, 2022, Geologic database of information on volcanoes in Alaska (GeoDIVA): Alaska Division of Geologic and Geophysical Surveys Digital Data Series 20, https://doi.org/10.14509/geodiva, https://doi.org/10.14509/30901.

2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment, 2018

Ewert, J.W., Diefenbach, A.K., and Ramsey, D.W., 2018, 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5140, 40 p., https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2018/5140/sir20185140.pdf.

Alaska Volcano Observatory image database, 2016

Cameron, C.E., and Snedigar, S.F., 2016, Alaska Volcano Observatory image database: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Digital Data Series 13, https://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/. https://doi.org/10.14509/29689.

Preliminary database of Quaternary vents in Alaska, 2014

Cameron, C.E., and Nye, C.J., 2014, Preliminary database of Quaternary vents in Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Miscellaneous Publication 153, 11 p., doi:10.14509/27357 .

Preliminary spreadsheet of eruption source parameters for volcanoes of the world, 2009

Mastin, L.G., Guffanti, Marianne, Ewert, J.E., and Spiegel, Jessica, 2009, Preliminary spreadsheet of eruption source parameters for volcanoes of the world: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009-1133, v. 1.2, 25 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1133/ .

System for ranking relative threats of U.S. volcanoes, 2007

Ewert, John, 2007, System for ranking relative threats of U.S. volcanoes: Natural Hazards Review, v. 8, n. 4, p. 112-124.

Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the western Aleutian islands, Alaska, 2006

Wilson, F.H., Mohadjer, Solmaz, Labay, K.A., Shew, Nora, and Grey, D.M., 2006, Digital data for the reconnaissance geologic map of the western Aleutian islands, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1302, 1 p., available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1302/

Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions, 2003

Siebert, L., and Simkin, T., 2002-, Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series GVP-3, http://volcano.si.edu/search_volcano.cfm, unpaged internet resource.

Bibliography of information on Alaska volcanoes, 2003

Cameron, C. E., Triplehorn, J. H., and Robar, C. L., 2003, Bibliography of information on Alaska volcanoes: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Miscellaneous Publication MP 131, 1 CD-ROM.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet

Volcanoes of the world [2nd edition], 1994

Simkin, Tom, and Siebert, Lee, 1994, Volcanoes of the world [2nd edition]: Tucson, Arizona, Geoscience Press, 349 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Geothermal resources of Alaska, 1994

Miller, T. P., 1994, Geothermal resources of Alaska: in Plafker, George and Berg, H. C., (eds.), The Geology of Alaska, Geological Society of America The Geology of North America series v. G-1, p. 979-987.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

The geology, geochemistry and petrology of the recent magmatic phase of the central and western Aleutian Arc, 1994

Myers, J. D., 1994, The geology, geochemistry and petrology of the recent magmatic phase of the central and western Aleutian Arc: unpublished manuscript unpaged.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Age, character, and significance of Aleutian arc volcanism, 1994

Fournelle, J. H., Marsh, B. D., and Myers, J. D., 1994, Age, character, and significance of Aleutian arc volcanism: in Plafker, George and Berg, H. C., (eds.), The Geology of Alaska, Geological Society of America The Geology of North America Series v. G-1, p. 723-758.

Aleut dictionary, Unangam Tunudgusii, an unabridged lexicon of the Aleutian, Pribilof, and Commander Islands Aleut language, 1994

Bergsland, Knut, comp., 1994, Aleut dictionary, Unangam Tunudgusii, an unabridged lexicon of the Aleutian, Pribilof, and Commander Islands Aleut language: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Native Language Center, 739 p.

Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada, 1990

Wood, C. A., and Kienle, Juergen, (eds.), 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska, 1986

Luedke, R. G., and Smith, R. L., 1986, Map showing distribution, composition, and age of Late Cenozoic volcanic centers in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I 1091-F, unpaged, 3 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000.

Volcanoes of the world, 1981

Simkin, Tom, Siebert, Lee, McClelland, Lindsay, Bridge, David, Newhall, Christopher, and Latter, J. H., 1981, Volcanoes of the world: Stroudsburg, PA, Hutchinson Publishing Company, 233 p.

Geothermal energy resources of Alaska, 1980

Turner, D. L., Forbes, R. B., Albanese, Mary, Macbeth, Joyce, Lockhart, A. B., and Seed, S. M., 1980, Geothermal energy resources of Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Report UAG-R 279, 19 p., 3 sheets, scale 1 at 1:2,500,000.

Igneous-related geothermal systems, 1979

Smith, R. L., and Shaw, H. R., 1979, Igneous-related geothermal systems: in Muffler, L. J. P., (ed.), Assessment of geothermal resources of the United States 1978, U.S. Geological Survey Circular C 790, p. 12-17.

Assessment of geothermal resources of the United States--1978, 1979

Muffler, L. J. P., 1979, Assessment of geothermal resources of the United States--1978: U.S. Geological Survey Circular C 0790, 163 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Comprehensive tables giving physical data and thermal energy estimates for young igneous systems of the United States, 1978

Smith, R. L., Shaw, H. R., Luedke, R. G., and Russell, S. L., 1978, Comprehensive tables giving physical data and thermal energy estimates for young igneous systems of the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-0925, p. 1-25.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Geology of Segula, Davidof and Khvostof Islands, Alaska, 1959

Nelson, W. H., 1959, Geology of Segula, Davidof and Khvostof Islands, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-K, p. 257-266, 2 sheets, scale 1:25,000.
full-text PDF 1.6 MB
plate 37 PDF 2.9 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

Alaska Peninsula-Aleutian Islands, 1958

Powers, H. A., 1958, Alaska Peninsula-Aleutian Islands: in Williams, H., (ed.), Landscapes of Alaska, Los Angeles, CA, University of California Press, p. 61-75.

Ocean floor structures, northeastern Rat Islands, Alaska, 1957

Snyder, G. L., 1957, Ocean floor structures, northeastern Rat Islands, Alaska: in Investigations of Alaskan volcanoes, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-G, p. 161-167, 1 plate, scale 1:125,000.
full-text PDF 325 KB
plate 22 PDF 5.6 MB
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf

United States coast pilot, Alaska Part 2, Yakutat Bay to Arctic Ocean, 1947

U.S. Department of Commerce, and Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1947, United States coast pilot, Alaska Part 2, Yakutat Bay to Arctic Ocean: Washington DC, United States Government Printing Office, 659 p.

Before an eruption

Ashfall & Preparedness Information

Useful Links