Aleutian Arc

The Aleutian Arc is a large volcanic arc of islands extending from the Southwest tip of the U.S. state of Alaska to the Kamchatka Peninsula of the Russian Federation.

It consists of a number of active and dormant volcanoes that have formed as a result of the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate along the Aleutian Trench. Although taking its name from the Aleutian Islands, this term is a geologic grouping rather than a geographic one. The Aleutian Arc extends through the Alaska Peninsula following the Aleutian Range through the Aleutian Islands. The arc makes up a sizable portion of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and is known for generating many strong magnitude earthquakes (magnitude 6-6.7) as well as its volcanism.