Atka
- ISS005-E-18299
- 23 October 2002
- 00:45 UTC
Largest of the Delarof Islands, Atka is located 2 km west, across the Amlia Pass, from Amlia and 80 km northeast from Adak — the most important of the Delarof Islands. Between Atka and Adak, however, occur many smaller islands such as those of Tagalak, Chugul, Umak, Little Tanaga and Kagalaska.
The island measures 105 km in length (orientated east to west) with a highly variable width of up to 32 km, covering an area of 1,048 km². There are two main geographical units that comprise the island: an elongated section in the west of some 80 km in length that is connected by a narrow isthmus (formed by Korovin Bay on the west and Nazen Bay on the east) to an oval-shaped peninsula of 24 km by 20 km in the northeast.
The northeastern peninsula of Atka represents the largest volcaninc centre to be found in the central and western Aleutians. It comprises a central shield and caldera around which are several secondary volcanoes. These include the cones of Korovin Volcano, the Konia Vent (515 m), Mt. Kliuchef (1,451 m), and Mt. Sarichef (1,056 m). Of these, Korovin has been the most active in historical times. Its twin-peaked summit is the highest point on the island — rising to a height of 1,533 m above sea level.
The narrow eastern side of the island is also mountainous, but is lower than the northeast, containing many steep-sided mountains, sharp ridges and upland lakes. The coastline of this region is very irregular, containing many deep bays and peninsulas: some of these are shown in the accompanying images: see Banner Bay, Bechevin Bay, and Kovurof Bay. Here too is found the island's narrowest point where Sergief Bay (on the south) and the Portage Lagoon (on the north) pinch the island to just a few hundred meters in width.
