Chaitén Volcan

Updated: 25 mai 2025 08:16 GMT - refresh

Caldera, lava dome

Argentine/Chili (sud) (Amérique du Sud), -42.83°S / -72.65°W

+Heure locale:

Lever du soleil:

Coucher du soleil:

Lever de lune:

Coucher de lune:

Summit height: 1122 m

Condition actuelle: normal / en sommeil (1 sur 5)

Last update: 11 déc. 2021

Image of the rhyolitic lava dome of Chaitén Volcano during its 2008-2010 eruption (photo: Sam Beebe)

Chaiten is a caldera volcano in southern Chile that had its first historic eruption on May 2, 2008 when it erupted violently. Ash fall and lahars during the eruption largely damaged the town of Chaitén, which had been evacuated as the eruption started.

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Chaitén webcams / live data | News/Updates | Earthquakes | Images

Style éruptif tipique: Explosive, lava dome growth
Eruptions du volcan Chaitén: 2 May 2008 (plinian eruption) - 2011

Derniers séismes proches

Date et l'heure	Mag / Prof.	Distance / Lieux

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Introduction

Chaitén is a small, glacier-free late-Pleistocene caldera with a Holocene lava dome located 10 km NE of the town of Chaitén on the Gulf of Corcovado. The north side of the rhyolitic, 962-m-high obsidian lava dome occupying the 3.5-km-wide caldera is unvegetated. Obsidian cobbles from this dome found in the Blanco River are the source of prehistorical artifacts from archaeological sites along the Pacific coast as far as 400 km away from the volcano to the north and south. The caldera is breached on the SW side by a river that drains to the bay of Chaitén, and the high point on its southern rim reaches 1,122 m. Two small lakes occupy the caldera floor on the west and north sides of the lava dome. Moreno (1985 pers. comm.) noted that the nearby volcano of Yelcho listed by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (1973) does not exist.
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Source: Global Volcanism Program at www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm

Chaitén Volcano Photos

Dôme de lave du volcan Chaiten vu depuis le bord nord de la caldeira le 6 décembre 2009 (image panoramique cousue). Le dôme était en phase de dégazage et d'extrusion à fa...

Des coulées pyroclastiques ont détruit la forêt du côté nord du dôme de lave du volcan Chaiten. (Photo: Richard Roscoe)

Le pied du dôme de lave du volcan Chaiten et la végétation endommagée sur le bord de la caldeira environnante. (Photo: Richard Roscoe)

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Éruptions volcaniques importantes: volcano Chaitén

In the past 10,000 years, Chaitén has had only one confirmed historic eruption during 2008 - 2011, but at least 4 eruptions can be inferred from geological evidence.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Chaitén volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Chaitén can be found on the news page of Chaitén volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Morts	Dommages
2008 Mai 2 - 2011 Mai 31 ±3 d.	Obs./docs historiques	4		inconnu
2008 Mai 2 (éruption 2008 Mai 2 - 2011 Mai 31 ±3 d.)		0	1	inconnu	Infos
2008 Mai 2: On Friday, May 2, 2008, Chaiten Volcano in southeastern Chile erupted for the first time since about 7400 BC. Its initial eruption produced a plume of volcanic ash and steam that rose nearly 17 kilometers high. Winds carried the plume east, over the Andes Mountains and into Argentina. The plume then drifted out over the over the Atlantic Ocean. It was visible on satellite images for hundreds of kilometers over the Atlantic. The town of Chaiten, located about 10 kilometers southwest of the eruption site, was blanketed with ash. About 4,000 people who lived there were evacuated by boat. One elderly person died during the evacuation efforts. On 6 May, the eruption became more forceful and generated a wider and darker gray ash plume to an estimated altitude of 30 km (98,400 ft) a.s.l. All remaining people in Chaitén were ordered to evacuate, as well as anyone within 50 km of the volcano. Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1640 ±18 y. AD		4?		inconnu
3100 ±220 y. BC		5		inconnu
6650 ±1300 y. BC		?		inconnu
7750 ±200 y. BC		5		inconnu

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Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Chaitén Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Chaitén volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Chaitén occurred during 2008 - 2011.

+How often does Chaitén volcano erupt?

There are no known historic eruptions, but evidence from geologic records shows that it has had at least 5 eruptions over the past 10,000 years. This number is likely much higher because many past eruptions might not have left evidence recognizeable today and/or the volcano might not have been studied in too much detail. Using the available data, a very conservative estimate is that Chaitén volcano erupts every 2,000 years.

+How active is Chaitén volcano at present?

Chaitén volcano is occasionally active: Since 1900, it has had 4 eruptions, and been active during 4 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Chaitén has been in eruption one in 31.5 years on average. The last eruption was from 2008 until 2011 and ended 14 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Chaitén volcano?

The largest eruption known from the younger geological history of Chaitén volcano occurred around 3100 BC. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Dernières images satellite

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Derniers images satellite

Chaitén Volcan Cartes

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).