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 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.
Popocatépetl volcano tours: Popocatépetl Volcano Special (tour to see the ongoing eruption of Mexico's most active volcano)
Popocatepetl volcano news & eruption updatePopocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity updateMon, 18 Mar 2013, 16:41 16:41 PM | BY: T  View of Popocatépetl this morning  Current seismic signal from Popocatépetl  SO2 plume from Popocatépetl (NOAA)
After being relatively quiet yesterday, activity has picked up today again. VAAC Washington has just received information about a probable explosion that generated an ash plume of unknown height. Volcanic tremor has also shown an increased phase earlier today. At the moment, a significant steam plume can be seen on webcam images. SO2 emissions remain high as the latest NOAA satellite image shows. Previous newsSnow-covered Popo is taking a probably short rest with only 5 weak emissions of gas and steam and probably no ash having been observed during 24 hours since yesterday. ... read allThe rate of emissions has dropped back to less than one per hour. Tremor has dropped as well, but two probably shallow volcanic quakes show up on the recent seismogram. ... read allA phase of increased, near-constant steam-gas-minor ash emissions has taken place this morning, accompanied by a small swarm of quakes and volcanic tremor. read allActivity has remained stable, with 1-2 weak weak to moderate steam-gas-ash explosions per hour, some of which generated small ash plumes. Incandescent bombs can sometimes be seen ejected at night. ... read allThe frequency of emissions has increased to almost 3 per hour, with some explosions producing low ash plumes. Degassing remains strong and an important SO2 plume is drifting eastwards from the volcano. ... read allBackground: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
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