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Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: increased number of explosions

Wed, 3 Oct 2012, 08:58 | BY: T
During the last 24 h between 1-2 Oct, 26 low-intensity exhalations accompanied by emissions of steam and gas were detected, a number more than double compared to the previous day. The most important occurred at 04:05 and 4:28 h local times. On 1 Oct, a shallow volcanic earthquake of magnitude 1.5 occurred at 13:54 h. Additionally, there have been various pulses of low amplitude harmonic tremor that have added up to a total of 1 h 45 min. (CENAPRED)

Previous news

Tue, 2 Oct 2012, 10:05

Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

SO2 plume from Popocatépetl on October 1, 2012 (NOAA)
During the last 24 h (before 11 am local time 1 Oct), CENAPRED recorded 9 low-intensity exhalations accompanied by emissions of steam and gas. The most important occurred at 15:49 h in the afternoon yesterday and this morning at 05:19 h (local times). ... Read all
Mon, 1 Oct 2012, 10:05

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: weak steam explosions (about 1 every 2 hours), crater glow, steaming

About 1 weak explosion every 2 hours were recorded during the past 24 hours and crater glow is visible at night. The steam plume was less pronounced and only about 700 m high yesterday morning. ... Read all
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Background:

Volcán Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking mountain, towers to 5426 m 70 km SE of Mexico City to form North America's 2nd-highest volcano.  The glacier-clad stratovolcano contains a steep-walled, 250-450 m deep crater.  The generally symmetrical volcano is modified by the sharp-peaked Ventorrillo on the NW, a remnant of an earlier volcano. 
At least three previous major cones were destroyed by gravitational failure during the Pleistocene, producing massive debris-avalanche deposits covering broad areas south of the volcano.  The modern volcano was constructed to the south of the late-Pleistocene to Holocene El Fraile cone.  Three major plinian eruptions, the most recent of which took place about 800 AD, have occurred from Popocatépetl since the mid Holocene, accompanied by pyroclastic flows and voluminous lahars that swept basins below the volcano.  Frequent historical eruptions, first recorded in Aztec codices, have occurred since precolumbian time.


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Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution - Popocatepetl information


Satellite images of Popocatepetl volcano (c)Google Earth View
Satellite images of Popocatepetl volcano (c)Google Earth View
Stratovolcano 5426 m / 17,802 ft
Central Mexico, 19.02°N / -98.62°W
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5) Popocatépetl volcano eruptions:
1345-47, 1354, 1363(?), 1488, 1504, 1509(?), 1512, 1518, 1519-23(?), 1528, 1530, 1539-40, 1542, 1548, 1571, 1580, 1590, 1592-94, 1642, 1663-65, 1666-67, 1697, 1720, 1802-04, 1827(?), 1834(?), 1852(?), 1919-22, 1923-24, 1925-27(?), 1933, 1942-43, 1947, 1994-95, 1996-2003, 2004-ongoing
Typical eruption style
Dominantly explosive, construction of lava domes. Plinian eruptions at intervals of several centuries or few thousands of years, vulcanian and strombolian activity in intermittent phases.
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