48 photographs in the Volcanic section of the Soils and Rocks collection.
Click an image to open the viewer, read its description, and download a copy.
Using these photographs
These images are made available under the
Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence for schools and educational use at no cost.
You may share and adapt the photographs provided you give appropriate credit.
Please cite images along the lines of:
© Soil-Net.com, Cranfield University, 2026
(use the year shown for each photograph where available).
For high-resolution originals or commercial use, contact
soil-net@cranfield.ac.uk .
Anatolia Erciyes volcano near Kayseri
3916 metres high, Mount Erciyes is now extinct, but when it erupted millions of years ago its ash buried the whole area and later formed the tufa rocks of the region.
Azores hot springs 01
Thermal activity is a sign of active volcanic forces still at work.
Azores hot springs 02
Boiling water fills the pool and steam is given off.
Azores hot springs 03
Sulphur forms crystals around the vent.
Azores volcanic crater lake
This massive lake formed within the crater formed by a past eruption.
Bay Of Naples northern end
One can see several small volcanic craters in the background and the small island is formed by another.
Bay Of Naples Phlegraean Fields volcanic area from the air
An area of repeated volcanic activity, seen from the air.
Bay Of Naples volcanic area from the air
Caused largely by the movement together of the tectonic plates of Europe and North Africa.
Canada warm water marshes below hot springs Banff
The warm water leads to a very different vegetation cover.
Crater lake Iceland
Lichens and other vegetation is beginning to colonise. Note the dark red colour of the rock.
Iceland duststorms in dry volcanic ash plain
These duststorms are known as "dust devils"; these are small whirlwinds lift the loose ash and carry it along.
Iceland Krafla edge of 1984 lava flow plants reestablishing
Plants re-establish even before the ground has fully cooled - something which can take years.
Iceland Krafla edge of 1984 lava flow still warm 1995
The edge of 1984 lava flow was still warm in 1995.
Iceland Krafla volcano rope lava
Lava forms in various ways. This is "rope lava", so-called from its appearance.
Iceland saxifrage struggling at crater edge of Askja volcano central far above treeline
Iceland saxifrage struggling at crater edge of Askja volcano central far above treeline.
Iceland Strokkur geysir errupting
Strokkur geysir, in Iceland, errupting. One feature of volcanic activity, this geysir shoots hot steam into the air at regular intervals.
Italy aerial view area of volcanic activity, caters and steam vents Baiae and Pozzuoli
Italy aerial view area of volcanic activity, caters and steam vents Baiae and Pozzuoli.
Krafla fissure volcano
Not all volcanoes form the traditional cone. Krafla erupts along fissures like this in the rock.
Nisyros 01
recent thermal activity within caldera has produced these piles of material. Nisyros.
Nisyros 02
Boiling mud bubbling in a vent in the crater floor. Nisyros.
Nisyros 03
Boiling mud in crater floor. Nisyros.
Nisyros 04
Sulphur crystals in crater wall. Nisyros.
Nisyros 05
Sulphur crystals. Nisyros.
Nisyros 06
Sulphur crystals in floor of crater. Nisyros.
Nisyros 07
Crater wall closeup. Nisyros.
Nisyros 08
Village on rim of caldera. Why would they choose to live in such a place? Nisyros.
Nisyros 09
View into the huge caldera from the rim. Volcanic craters in the distance. Nisyros.
Nisyros island
The island is one huge caldera formed by a massive eruption which blew the top off the whole island.
Vesuvius 1944 lava flow 01
Vegetation is still struggling to establish here.
Vesuvius 1944 lava flow 02
Vegetation is still struggling to establish here. Vesuvius erupted just after the arrival of allied troops in the area during World War Two.
Vesuvius crater 01
The crater is still producing steam even though it hasn't erupted since 1944.
Vesuvius crater 02
A view of the sides of the crater.
Vesuvius crater bottom
A view right down into the crater.
Vesuvius crater rim 01
The crater from the other side. Lichen is beginning to establish on the slopes.
Vesuvius crater rim 02
It is possible for the public to get very close to the rim but not to descend into the crater.
Vesuvius crater rim 03
An instrument for monitoring the state of volcanic activity can be seen on the far side.
Vesuvius on the way down
A path winds down to the carpark. Beyong is the 1944 lavaflow.
Vesuvius seismic testing
Instrument to keep a constant check on volcanic activity.
Vesuvius towards Pompeii from top of volcano
This was the direction of the major eruption which buried Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Vesuvius view of Misenum
view of Misenum from the track up the volcano.
Vesuvius view on way up
Mount Vesuvius volcano, Italy
Volcanic Ash Layers Oplontis near Vesuvius
Clear evidence of the layers of ash which fell during the eruption which buried Pompeii.
Volcanic Landscape Bay of Naples
Showing how close the city is to Vesuvius if its next eruption should go in that direction.
Volcano crater Nisyros
Craters and crater lakes in the Phlegaean Fields area near Naples. Nisyros.
Volcano from floor of crater Nisyros
Inside one of the craters within the large caldera of the island of Nisyros. Note the yellow sulphur on the walls of the crater. Nisyros.
Volcano inside slopes of caldera from the rim
People live in villages on the rim of the huge caldera and cultivate the inner walls. Note the terraces. Nisyros.
Volcano overlooking Stephanos crater
View from the volcano rim. The walls of the caldera can be seen beyond. Nisyros.
Yiali Island off Nisyros
Island of pure pumice from the eruption, now being quarried commercially. Nisyros.
Top
×
Suggested citation:
