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Sabancaya volcano (Peru): continued signs of volcanic unrest

Tue, 1 Jul 2014, 14:35 | BY: T
Sabancaya volcano on 26 June with blue and grayish gas emissions (A) and steaming (B) (IGP)
Sabancaya volcano on 26 June with blue and grayish gas emissions (A) and steaming (B) (IGP)
Volcanic-tectonic earthquake epicenters during June (IGP)
Volcanic-tectonic earthquake epicenters during June (IGP)
Number and type of earthquakes under the volcano in June (IGP)
Number and type of earthquakes under the volcano in June (IGP)
Signs continue to show up that the volcano might be awakening: Peru's Geophysical Institute (IGP) who monitors the volcano has detected a slight increase in volcanic unrest recently. Both seismic and fumarolic activity at the volcano increased during the past 4 weeks (since 3 June).
Peaks in occurrence of so-called hybrid earthquakes were detected during 18, 19 and 21 June with 146, 157, and 216 recorded events. These quakes are believed to be indicators of magma rising at depth beneath the volcano.
Hypocenter depths of volcanic-tectonic earthquakes, indicators of rock-fracturing caused by internal fluid pressure and/or rising magma, have been showing an upwards trend: at the moment, they mostly range between 16 km (NE side), 10 km (E) and 6 km on the northern flank.
Fumarolic emissions have become more pronounced as well. Bluish gas of magmatic SO2, white steam (water vapor) and sometimes light gray-colored emissions, possibly from small amounts of ash, were observed during a visit to the volcano.
Satellite data (deformation, thermal anomaly detection) in turn show no significant changes.
All in all, even though it does not seem that an eruption is imminent, nor far from certain that one will occur in a foreseeable future as a result of this unrest, IGP takes the situation seriously and increases monitoring efforts at the volcano.

Previous news

Wed, 18 Jun 2014, 13:29

Sabancaya volcano (Peru): steaming and continuing earthquakes as possible precursors for new eruption

According to local news, steaming at the volcano has been observed since yesterday morning and it is believed that the volcano could erupt in a near to medium term future: few weeks to months. ... Read all
Wed, 16 Oct 2013, 08:08

Sabancaya volcano (Peru) activity update

Seismic unrest continued through Sep-Oct including occasional swarms of volcanic-tectonic quakes (such as on 10 Oct), but overall earthquake activity has been showing a slowly decreasing trend. The volcano remains to be closely monitored. ... Read all
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Sabancaya volcano
stratovolcano 5967 m / 19,577 ft
Peru, -15.78°S / -71.85°W
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5) Sabancaya volcano eruptions:
2016, 2015, 2014, 2003, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1990-95, 1988, 1986, 1784, 1750, <1595(?)
Typical eruption style
explosive and effusive