Tag Archives: Popcatepetl

Latest on Volcano Popocatepetl

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New Lava Dome Spotted at Mexico’s Popocatépetl

Shot of a new lava dome seen on July 7, 2013 forming within the main crater at Mexico’s Popocatépetl after a week on continuous strong ash emissions and explosions. Image: CENAPRED.

Programming Note: I’ve now entered summer crunch time. Between lab time and field work with my students over the next month along with my own projects and manuscripts that need to move forward before the start of the next school year, I am going to be busy with a capitol B. I’ve going to try to keep up with posts as events occur, but I can’t guarantee that I can update as quickly and frequently as I normally do, at least not until this stretch is over. Hopefully this helps dispel that myth that someone college faculty have the summer “off” … !

Onwards to the update!

As noted in this space last week, Popocatépetl has had an active week, to the point that a multitude of flights in/out of the international airport in Mexico City were cancelled. This huffing and puffing at Popocatépetl, with ash plumes reaching 3-4 km above the volcano, has prompted the elevation of the alert status to Yellow-Phase III. This means that the eruption at the volcano has moved from sporadic explosions (Phase II) to frequent small to intermediate explosions, usually caused by a dome collapse (that can generate pyroclastic flows). Tremor is almost constant at the volcano, along with constant emission of ash-and-steam from the summit vent.

 

An overflight of that vent on Sunday showed that a new lava dome has formed within the crater during the past week’s activity (see above), meaning a new sequence of dome growth (and eventual collapse) is in full swing. As magma rises up under the active vent, a plug of lava forms (as the lava dome). The pressure rises under the plug and it is eventually destroyed (either by collapse or explosion), leaving the magma underneath to feel the drop in pressure, prompting an explosive eruption. Once the vent is clear, new lava can begin to fill in the vent to form another new dome and the cycle continues.

This type of eruption is common at many arc-related volcanoes like Popocatepetl like Mount St. Helens, Soufriere Hills and Merapi. You can check out this USGS page on this same pattern that occurred at St. Helens after the catastrophic 1980 eruption or if you want to get cozy with a dome, check out this video of the dome at Mexico’s Colima taken in 2008 — rubbly piles of extruding lava within the main crater vent. The collapse of these domes can be one of the most dangerous and unpredictable events at a volcano as the extrusion of the dome isn’t particularly violent, but the collapse can generate large pyroclastic flows. A collapse of a dome at Unzen killed the famed volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft and Harry Glicken in 1991. The dome at Popocatepetl likely needs to get larger so it extends out of the crater at the summit vent (see above) before it can generate a large dome collapse pyroclastic flow, but all of this means that Popocatepetl needs to be taken seriously in this new phase of activity.

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/07/eruption-update-for-july-8-2013-popocatepetl-iwo-torishima-white-island/#more-163580

Volcano Update 6/4

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Eruption Update for June 4, 2012: Popocatépetl, Nevado del Ruiz, Kilauea and more

A combination of a thermal and visible image of the Royal Gardens subdivision lava flow field, showing the active (bright) and inactive (dark) lava flows. You can also notice the prominent kipuku (forest surrounded by lava flows) on both sides of the active lava flow in the foreground. Image taken on May 31, 2012, courtesy of USGS/HVO.

There is a big anniversary this week (well, other than our first wedding anniversary) – but I’ll have more on that on Wednesday. Today, I thought I’d update a few bits of volcanic news from the past week or so. If you’re looking for even more details on the week’s volcanic events, check out the latest USGS/Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report (of which a few of the updates get linked to below).

Mexico

All eyes continue to be on Popocatépetl and the volcano clearly still deserves the attention. Over the weekend, Popo produced at least 91 explosions over a 24 hour period. However, none of the events were larger than what we’ve been seeing over the last week. In fact, UNAM scientist Giovanni Sosa Ceballos says that we shouldn’t be expecting a large Plinian eruption from Popo as its recent volcanic history doesn’t favor such behavior. This doesn’t mean that the volcano isn’t still dangerous and doesn’t entirely rule out a large event. However, looking at the past activity at a volcano is one of the best ways to know what to expect in the present. The Mexican government still has people and resources ready for evacuations if the activity gets worse.

Check out the webcams to watch Popocatépetl’s activity (conditions permitting).

 

Colombia

Much like Popocatépetl, Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz has been rumbling much of the spring. After a brief respite, the activity at the volcano has kicked back up this week, with almost continuous ash emissions over the last few days. However, the activity hasn’t increased since the volcano was placed back on Orange alert status last Tuesday. INGEOMINAS scientists say that these ash emissions could last for days to weeks, continuing to dust the region around Ruiz with coating of volcanic ash. The Colombian and regional governments have prepared shelters for potential evacuees if the volcano’s activity increases or lahars are generated from these rewned explosions.

Be sure to watch the Ruiz webcams to see any changes at the volcano.

Hawai’i

The lava flows (see above) and ups/downs of the Halema’uma’u Crater lava lake have continued into the early summer at Kilauea on the Big Island. The level of the summit lava lake has oscillated over the last week, changing as much as 60 meters (relative to the floor of the summit crater) and parts of the crater wall falling into the lava lake. You can also check out a brief piece of the earthquake and volcanic threat to another Hawaiian island, Maui.

image http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/uploads/multimediaFile-382.jpg

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/eruption-update-for-june-4-2012-popocatepetl-nevado-del-ruiz-kilauea-and-more/#more-113917