A geomorphological study comparing the modern Ethiopian crater and the Aden crater and the volcanic activity of each.
Yemen
Yamanat
A recent geomorphological study has revealed clear geological differences between Ethiopia’s recently erupted volcanic crater, the Hayli Gubbi Volcano, and the Aden Crater – known locally as the Aden Bottom – which is the remnant of an ancient volcanic system that has been dormant for thousands of years.
The study conducted by the Aden Geological and Mineral Resources Authority confirmed that geological differences are represented in the geological age, the nature of volcanic activity and the shape of the terrain that formed in each location over time.
Ethiopian volcano
According to analyzes carried out by the authority’s satellite image specialists; The Ethiopian volcano, which erupted in November 2025, is located in the East African Rift; One of the most active tectonic zones in the world.
Young buzzard
The images show that the Ethiopian volcano’s crater is still young, deep and sharp-walled, with a depth of between 554 and 578 meters, with a central depression of around 378 meters. The longitudinal sections also show high slopes, on average above 20%, with maximum values reaching 45%, characteristics which indicate that the crater is of recent formation and has not yet been subjected to long erosion processes.
Eden Crater
The Authority’s specialists confirm, on the basis of technical analyses, that the Aden Crater (the bottom of Aden) is the product of an ancient volcanic system which has lost its original characteristics due to time.
Topographic data indicate that the surrounding terrain no longer maintains its original conical shape due to prolonged exposure to weathering, subsidence, and aerial and rock erosion.
The section extending more than three kilometers from the Aden Highlands to the coast has a natural elevation gradient of between 172 and 498 meters, with slopes gentler than those of the Ethiopian Crater; The average slope varies between 12 and 18%, while some rock cliffs reach 39 to 66% due to the nature of the ancient basalt rocks and their fissures, and not due to recent volcanic activity.
Differences
These differences indicate that the Aden Crater (the Aden Floor) does not belong to any currently active volcanic zone, but rather represents the remains of ancient activity associated with the expansion of the Gulf of Aden thousands of years ago.
According to the study; The Ethiopian crater is located in an active tectonic environment directly linked to the continental expansion processes of the African Rift, which explains its new eruption and the modernity of its geomorphological characteristics.
Caldera
The study highlighted that the Aden Volcano crater is geomorphologically classified as a “large caldera” resulting from the collapse of the volcano’s summit after the emptying of the magma chamber, which is a distinctive structural feature of the city’s volcanic system.
Hot spot
The study noted that most reports relating to the Ethiopian volcano focus on its connection with the African Rift, while the volcanic region is actually located as part of the Afar hotspot and close to the boundaries of the Small Danicel Plate, which moves kinematically in conjunction with the Arabian Plate, which is a key tectonic factor in understanding the environment for this volcanic activity.
a summary
Through this analysis, it is clear that the Ethiopian Crater represents a model of a geomorphologically active modern volcano, while the Aden Crater (the Aden Floor) represents an ancient volcanic system that erosional factors have sculpted over long periods of time, making it part of a stable mountainous terrain that is not linked to any contemporary volcanic activity.
Yemen