Colima volcano (Mexico) photos

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During our Volcano Special tour to Colima last week, Ingrid and other 3 participants took a scenic overflight in a small charter plane in order to have a closer look at the active lava dome and its viscous flow on the southern flank. A selection of aerial photos from various angles taking while circling the volcano several times at different altitudes is shown. (Photo: Ingrid Smet)

Colima volcano (Mexico): aerial photos 20 Nov 2016 - new lava dome and flow (24 imagine)

Colima volcano (Mexico) July 2015: glowing rockfalls and lava flow (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico) July 2015: glowing rockfalls and lava flow (20 imagine)

During our recent Volcano Special during 18-22 Nov, we observed the activity of Colima volcano from close:
It was characterized by the continued weak extrusion of a viscous lava flow from the active, flat summit lava dome (see aerial photos). Explosive activity was only minor and limited to mostly small events at irregular intervals (often more than few hours), but fluctuated noticeably from day to day. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico): lava flow and stars (18-22 Nov 2016) (16 imagine)

On 11 July 2015, a large dome collapse triggered the second largest block and ash pyroclastic flow of the 21st century (surpassed by Merapi in 2010 only), filling and devastating the Montitlán river valley on Colima's south side to a length of about 10 km.
We visited the deposit approx. 16 months later, in Nov 2016 (compare these to photos taken few days after it was deposited). This fresh, the deposit is a fantastic geologic showcase. It provides extremely interesting insights into the dynamics of this kind of pyroclastic density currents and its origin: (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico): July 2015 Montitlán pyroclastic flow deposit a year later (24 imagine)

Impressions from the evacuated area near San Antonio and La Yerbabuena (west side), affected only by ash fall, and the still hot deposit of the unusually large pyroclastic flow from 11 July, near Monte Grande on the southern slope. The images were taken only 3 days after it had been deposited. Miraculously, no human victims were claimed, but many livestock were lost. The deposit will pose a significant lahar hazard during heavy rainfalls to come. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico) July 2015 photos: evacuations and Monte Grande pyroclastic flow (20 imagine)

Pictures taken during an overflight on 16 July 2015. They show the active lava flow, the path of the recent pyroclastic flows, in particular the 10 km long one from 11 July, rockfalls, and the new crater configuration after the (pre-11 July) dome had collapsed, giving way to the new lava flow on the southern flank. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico) July 2015: aerials (32 imagine)

During our Colima Volcano Special in January 2016, we spent several days and nights to observe the volcano's ongoing intermittent explosive activity.
Due to reasons not well understood, Colima's eruptions in the past few months have been unusually rich in eruption lightnings that develop in the ash plumes, even during smaller explosions, something that had not been observed during a phase of similarly intense explosive activity a year ago (photos). (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano (Mexico), Jan 2016: eruptions (24 imagine)

A selection of night-time eruptions observed from the west and north of Colima during our film expedition 22-28 Feb 2015.
Special thanks goes to the Protección Civil y Bomberos de Jalisco for their generosity to allow us to climb Nevado de Colima! (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano, Mexico: explosive activity Feb 2015 (16 imagine)

Mild to moderate explosive activity occurred during 22-28 Feb at irregular intervals, ranging from few minutes to several hours. Most stronger explosions were preceded by longer quiet phases lasting up to 7 hours. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano, Mexico: explosive activity Feb 2015 - ash plumes (20 imagine)

Aerial photos taken during an overflight on the morning of 27 Feb 2015 with fine views onto the volcano and its surrounding. Unfortunately, no eruption occurred during the flight, which is why a second flight on 28 Feb was done. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano, Mexico: aerial images 27 Feb 2015 (24 imagine)

A second overflight over Colima volcano was undertaken on the morning of 28 Feb 2015. Luckily, by the time we arrived at the volcano, circling the crater at 14,000 ft (4200 m altitude i.e. approx. 250 m higher than the crater), a phase of frequent small to moderate eruptions began that could be observed from close range from the windows of a small Cessna airplane. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Colima volcano, Mexico: aerial images 28 Feb 2015 (20 imagine)

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