MANILA – The world’s largest caldera could be located in Philippine Rise (Benham Rise), New Zealand-based scientist Jenny Anne Barretto wrote in her recently published study.
Barreto’s study entitled “Benham Rise unveiled: Morphology and structure of an Eocene large igneous province in the West Philippine Basin” stated that the Apolaki Caldera may be the world’s largest known caldera with its diameter of 150 kilometers.
Apolaki is translated as “giant lord,” named after the Filipino mythical god of the sun and war, while caldera is a large volcanic crater formed by a major eruption.
“For comparison, Earth’s largest calderas – like the Yellowstone – is only about 60 km. The size is comparable to shield calderas in Mars (Olympus Mons; 80 km x 65 km) and Venus (Sacajawea; 150 X 105 km),” it said.
The Philippine Rise is a 13-million-hectare undersea plateau off Aurora and Isabela provinces, on the northeastern side of the Philippine archipelago.
The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf recognized the area in 2012 as part of the country’s continental shelf./PN
