Pyroclastic Deposit on Suwolbong Tuff Cone, Jeju

Basic information

Designation

Natural Monument No.513

Category

자연지형

Era

신생대

Designated year

2009

Location

제주시, 제주특별자치도— 제주특별자치도 제주시 한경면 고산리 3616-1 등

Coordinates

33.295165, 126.163743

Suwolbong is one of the most representative examples of tuff cones found in Jejudo Island that were formed through hydromagmatic activity, alongside other volcanic rock formations like Seongsan Ilchulbong, Mt. Songaksan and Someori Oreum. Although the current geological features of Suwolbong appear rather ordinary, the pyroclastic outcrops exposed along the western coastline are amongst the best examples of rock formations of their kind worldwide and are of great scientific significance. Suwolbong is, furthermore, a volcanic edifice that was created through an unusual mechanism of volcanic ash transportation known as “pyroclastic surge.” The outcrops on the coastal cliff, showing good lateral extensity, are counted among the best outcrops of pyroclastic surge layers in the world. The pyroclastic surge layer of Suwolbong is cited in various geology and volcanology textbooks, including Facies Models (Walker & James, 1992), Sedimentary Environments (Reading, 1996) and the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (Sigurdsson et al., 2000) as a notable example.

Location