The Eifel region in Germany is geographically famous for its Maars, which are broad, low-relief volcanic craters. These were formed by phreatomagmatic eruptions (magma interacting with groundwater). Many of these circular depressions have since filled with water, creating a unique landscape of deep, round volcanic lakes that are a hallmark of this Central European volcanic field. ANSWER: (B) Maars (Craters filled with water)
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The Eifel region represents a unique “maar” volcanic field. A maar is formed when rising magma encounters an aquifer, causing a massive steam explosion that blasts a hole in the Earth’s crust without building a mountain cone. The result is a wide, shallow crater surrounded by a low rim of ejected debris. Geographically, the Eifel is the type-locality for these features. Today, these maars appear as serene, perfectly circular lakes nestled in the landscape. They provide invaluable climate records for geologists, as the sediment layers at the bottom of these lakes have accumulated undisturbed for tens of thousands of years.