Porak

Porak or Axarbaxar is a stratovolcano located in the Vardenis volcanic ridge. It lies about 20km southeast of Lake Sevan and the volcanic field spans the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan with lava flows running into both countries. Ten satellite cones and fissure vents lie on the flanks of the volcano.The Porak volcano itself and the third stage has been dated 15 ± 15 ka by K-Ar dating. Two long lava flows, one of which 21 km long, stretch from the field north and northeastwards. There are thermal springs in the area, and the Middle Pleistocene Khonarassar fault area lies to the north of the Porak centre. The complex is built on partly sedimentary rock and partly volcanogenic Late Cretaceous and Eocene series with Paleogene intrusions.DescriptionThere are four stages of trachyandesitic lava flows, the oldest composing the Porak volcano itself and the younger three derived from cones and fissures. Two lava flows overlay Sevan Lake deposits with thin soil cover form an early Holocene stage. The second stage forms lava flows entering Lake Alaghel and is devoid of soil cover.