Morne aux Diables

Devil's Peak, also known as Morne aux Diables, is a volcano on the Dominican Republic's island of Dominica. The volcanic structure is the island's northernmost peak. Morne aux Diables is the northernmost of Dominica's nine volcanic centers (Lindsay and others, 2005). Five complete andesitic crystal rich lava domes form a central depression in the complex. A 'Cold Soufrière' is visible within the depression, with hydrothermally altered rocks and numerous small bubbling pools. Although no historical eruptions are documented, the volcano appears young, and activity at flank domes presumably lasted into the late Pleistocene and Holocene (Lindsay and others, 2005). According to Robert Watts of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre, the volcano is still peaceful, despite significant seismicity in 2009 and 2010.

Seismic swarm between 2009 and 2010:
According to Watts and others (2012), the most common area of seismicity has been in Dominica's southeast sector. There were bursts of activity in the north in 1841, 1893, and 2000, as well as a particularly intense week-long surge of more than 500 earthquakes in 2003. Following six years of low-level activity, a practically constant series of earthquakes began in June 2009 beneath the central area of Morne aux Diables. The seismic swarm lasted at least through 2010, with changes in activity consistent with volcano-tectonic (VT) activity.

The VT series peaked in December 2009, with many occurrences felt by people on the volcano's flanks, but after that, earthquake activity has gradually decreased. Beginning in December 2010, VT earthquakes began to shallow with time (a few approaching 1 km depth), indicating that they are associated to a vertical re-adjustment of tensions beneath the volcano, most likely driven by magma flow (Watts and others, 2012).

Sulfur springs can be found close to the volcano.

Location: on the island of Dominica

Elevation: 861 m (2,825 ft)