A book I'm reading about Mars mentioned caldera in relation to volcanoes, so I looked up the term. ------------------ cal·de·ra Pronunciation (kl-dâr, -dîr, käl-) n.
A large crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a volcanic cone.
caldera n : a large crater caused by the violent explosion of a volcano that collapses into a depression
[Spanish, cauldron, caldera, from Late Latin caldria. See cauldron.]
Brian Kelsay
Yellowstone park is a huge caldera. The next time that volcano erupts, Denver will be waist-deep in ash.