El Elegante Crater

El Elegante (Spanish for elegant one) is a maar (a type of volcanic crater) located in the Gran Desierto de Altar in the Sonoran Desert, Mexico.

At 250 metres (820 ft) deep and 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) across, it is the largest in the volcanic complex of Pinacate Peaks.

The crater was formed about 32,000 years ago when groundwater seeping down into the earth came into contact with magma rising from beneath the crust.

The hot magma instantly turned the water to steam, and the sudden high pressure triggered a phreatomagmatic explosion, blowing a huge hole in the ground, and blasting out rocks, magmatic material and ash, forming the crater.

[1] The crater rim is higher than the surrounding desert and shows layers of rock built up from the ejecta.