Try our free app!
 Our expert volcanologists and photographers offer unique travel experiences: volcano expeditions, photo tours, and relaxed walking & study tours. Guaranteed tours
: spaces available / : guaranteed / : few spaces left / : booked out
|
|
 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 (Mexico): increased activityMon, 29 Apr 2013, 09:55 09:55 AM | BY: T  Explosion from Popocatépetl yesterday morning  Current seismic signal from Popocatépetl
Activity at the volcano has picked up in the past 48 hours. Following an earthquake swarm on Saturday with volcanic-tectonic quakes of magnitudes up to 2.3, which was probably the result of a new magma batch rising, an increase in small emissions occurred yesterday with 71 events registered during 24 hours. The largest emission yesterday (at 10:33 local time) produced a steam and ash plume rising 1.2 km above the crater and drifted NE. A similar earthquake swarm is visible on today's seismograph (but CENAPRED's report about this will only be available later today). Previous newsActivity is on the increase again at the volcano, which currently is producing a strong steam plume illuminated by the glowing lava in the summit crater. ... read allA moderate-sized explosion occurred yesterday, producing an ash plume rising 1.2 km and throwing incandescent bombs to 500 m distance on the outer flanks of the volcano. Small explosions occur at an average rate of one per hour and a large steam plume is often rising to about 1 km above the crater. Incandescence continues to be visible at night at the crater. read allActivity continues with no significant changes: weak emissions of steam/gas/ash occur at rates of approx. once per hour, and glow at night shows that magma continues to arrive slowly in the summit crater. ... read allActivity has decreased to about one emission of gas/steam/minor amounts of ash per hour over the past few days. Glow remains visible at night from the crater. ... read allA stronger-then-usual explosion occurred last night (23:23 h local time) and produced a plume of ash rising about 2 km above the crater. Incandescent fragments were thrown to distances of 900 m. ... 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.
---
Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution - Popocatepetl information
First visit to our site? If you havn't done it yet, download the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Android | IOS
More on VolcanoDiscovery Etna trekking tour: A tour entirely dedicated to Etna, the most active volcano in Europe. Spend 6 full days on Etna and get good chances to see eruptive activity.  Volcano Special expedition: Special tour to see the ongoing eruption of Shivleuch volcano. Max 6 participants, 5 nights on location, accompanied by our team and local volcanologists. Sign up deadline Sun 24 Feb 2019!  Volcano Calendar 2015: We're proud to present our new volcano calendar 2015: 13 different and attractive images of volcanoes, volcanic landscapes and phenomena taken during volcano tours over the past few years. |
