No latest activity reported for Koussi, Emi.

Below is a summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

The following references are the sources used for data regarding this volcano. References are linked directly to our volcano data file. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title. Additional discussion of data sources can be found under Volcano Data Criteria.

Geze B, Hudeley H, Vincent P, Wacrenier P, 1959. Les volcacans du Tibesti (Sahara du Tchard). {Bull Volc}, 22: 135-172

Gourgaud A, Vincent P M, 2004. Petrology of two continental alkaline intraplate series at Emi Koussi volcano, Tibesti, Chad. {J Volc Geotherm Res}: 129: 261-290

Permenter J L, Oppenheimer C, 2007. Volcanoes of the Tibesti massif (Chad, northern Africa). {Bull Volc}, 69: 609-626

Vincent P M, 1963. Les volcans Tertiares et Quaternaires de Tibesti occidental et central (Sahara du Tchad). {Mem Bur Recherche Geol Min}, 23: 1-307

The large volcano of Emi Koussi at the SE end of the Tibesti Range forms the highest summit of the Sahara. The 60 x 80 km massif was constructed over a basement of Cretaceous and Paleozoic sandstones. Two nested calderas, 12 x 15 km in size, truncate the dominantly trachytic volcano, whose 3415 m high point lies on the southern caldera rim of the low-angle pyroclastic shield volcano. The calderas contain several explosion craters, lava domes, and young scoria cones, along with lava flows of recent and pre-modern age (Geze et al., 1959). The spectacular Era Kohor (Trou au Natron du Koussi) caldera on the SE floor of the 2nd caldera is 2-3 km wide and 350 m deep. The latest activity in the calderas produced three maars, and numerous basaltic cinder cones and associated lava flows have been constructed both within the calderas and on their outer flanks. The Yi-Yerra thermal area is located on the southern flank.