Get our newsletter!     Volcano Discoveries: "One of the most eye-catching guides to the world’s volcanoes ever published.  Our expert volcanologists and photographers offer unique travel experiences: volcano expeditions, photo tours, and relaxed walking & study tours.  Excellent information for anyone wishing to visit and enjoy active volcanoes safely. Detailed guidelines to 42 different volcanoes around the world. Guaranteed tours: : spaces available / : guaranteed / : few spaces left / : booked out Random pictures | | Rincón de la Vieja is the largest volcano in NW Costa Rica and one of its most active ones.
Complex volcano 1916 m (6,286 ft)
Costa Rica, 10.83°N / -85.32°W Current status: minor activity or eruption warning (3 out of 5) Rincón de la Vieja webcams / live data | ReportsRincón de la Vieja volcano books | ToursRincón de la Vieja volcano eruptions:
1529(?), 1765, 1844, 1849, 1851(?), 1853-54, 1860, 1861-63, 1902(?), 1912, 1917(?), 1922, 1966-67, 1969, 1969, 1970, 1983, 1984, 1985-86, 1987, 1991-92, 1995, 1998 (Feb.-Sep.), 2011-2012, 2014, 2015-ongoing Typical eruption style:Explosive. Last earthquakes nearbyLatest satellite images  Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 Rincón de la Vieja volcano, Costa Rica: activity updatesTue, 2 Jun 2020, 08:21  Moderate explosion from Rincon de la Vieja volcano yesterday (image: OVSICORI) OVSICORI-UNA reported that moderate phreatic explosion occurred at 17:01 local time yesterday. An ash plume rose 4,921 ft-6,561 ft (1,500 m-2,000 m) above the summit. Thu, 28 May 2020, 07:28  Phreatic eruption from Rincon de la Vieja volcano (image: OVSICORI) OVSICORI-UNA recorded a few phreatic or hydrothermal explosions this week. ...moreOn 25 May at 17:34 and 17:38 local time a phreatic explosions generated a gas-steam plume that rose approx. 3,280 ft (1,000 m) above the crater. No ashfall was reported. On 26 May at 16:21 local time an emissions of gas and steam plumes with minor ash content occurred. An ash plumes reached 11,207 ft (3,416 m) altitude.  Explosion from Rincon de la Vieja volcano on 26 May (image: OVSICORI)  Emissions of gas and steam from Rincon de la Vieja volcano on 25 May (image: OVSICORI) [ less] read allFri, 8 May 2020, 10:30 Wed, 6 May 2020, 08:53  Rincon de la Vieja volcano from satellite (image: Sentinel 2) Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington recorded on 5 May at 19:17 local time an explosion that generated an ash plume, which reached approx. 7,000 ft (2,100 m) altitude and drifted W. ...moreThe activity of the volcano continues at moderately high levels. [ less] Tue, 5 May 2020, 21:45 Tue, 21 Apr 2020, 06:49  Eruption from Rincon de la Vieja volcano on 19 April (image: @SinartNoticias/twitter) On 19 April at 10:16 local time a strong explosion occurred at the volcano. According to OVSICORI-UNA, it was a phreatic or hydrothermal explosion that generated a steam and ash plume that rose approx. 4,921 ft (1,500 m) above the crater. ...moreIt also produced pyroclastic flows that traveled over the upper slopes, as can be seen in the video recorded: [ less] Thu, 9 Apr 2020, 08:51  An eruption from Rincon de la Vieja volcano on 6 April (image: OVSICORI-UNA) OVSICORI-UNA reported that seismicity remains at generally low levels including periods of low-frequency and low-amplitude volcanic earthquakes. ...moreA gas steam plume occured on 1 April at 02:40 local time. On 4 April at 08:24 local time an eruption generated a plume, which reached approx. 9,566 ft (2,916 m) altitude. During 6-7 April emissions rose 164 ft (50 m) above the crater rim. [ less] Thu, 20 Feb 2020, 06:12  Rincon de la Vieja volcano covered by clouds from satellite (image: Sentinel 2) OVSICORI-UNA recorded at night on 17 February a small eruption associated with LP tremor. The number of LP events has generally decreased. Additionally, it was measured a extension with a inflation of volcanic edifice, but it is not significant. ...moreSource: Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica volcano activity update 20 February 2020 [ less] Fri, 14 Feb 2020, 09:07  Rincon de la Vieja volcano from satellite (image: Sentinel 2) OVSICORI-UNA reported that seismic tremor has decreased over the past days. There is tendency to inflation of the volcano edifice. ...moreThe activity of the volcano continues at moderately low levels since the last explosive eruption on 30 January. The lake level is 4 m higher than in April 2018. [ less] Sat, 1 Feb 2020, 09:58  Rincon de la Vieja's eruption on 30 Jan 2020 (image: OVSICORI-UNA) An moderate explosive eruption occurred at the volcano on 30 Jan 2020 at 12:13 local time, producing a steam and ash plume that rose approx. 2 km above the crater. ...moreThe event was likely another phreatic explosion, i.e. entirely driven by steam with no fresh magma involved, similar to the previous one on 2 Jan 23:18 local time this year. Few days preceding Thursday's eruption OVSICORI-UNA had raised the alert level to 3, as the agency's monitoring system had been registering an increase in seismic activity involving volcanic tremor, small earthquake swarms and so-called tornillo signals interpreted to be caused by disturbances in the hydrothermal system. [ less] Show more newsWed, 17 Oct 2018, 11:30 Wed, 15 Aug 2018, 07:30 Wed, 10 Jan 2018, 01:30 Fri, 23 Jun 2017, 17:14 OVSICORI-UNA reported that on 15 June a diffuse plume of mainly water vapor rose 50 m above Rincón de la Vieja's crater rim. A small hydrothermal explosion from the crater with the highly acidic lake was detected around noon on 18 June. ...moreIn a report posted the next day OVSICORI-UNA noted that seismicity was characterized by low-frequency events, volcano-tectonic events, and tremor with intensifying amplitude; the seismic patterns were similar to those that preceded the phreatomagmatic events on 23 May and 11 June, though the recent seismicity was not as energetic. ( Source: Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 14-20 June 2017) [ less] Wed, 24 May 2017, 12:05 A moderately large phreatic eruption occurred from the crater lake at 10:20 local time on 23 May 2017, producing a plume of steam and ash that rose 500-1000 m as well as a lahar that descended the northern flank. Tue, 3 May 2016, 12:05 OVSICORI-UNA reported that a moderate hydrothermal explosion occurred at 14:37 local time on 1 May in the volcano's crater lake. The seismic network recorded the explosion for 11 minutes. Sun, 3 Apr 2016, 12:05 A smaoo eruption, probably phreatic, occurred on 30 March, ejecting a small ash plume. Sat, 12 Mar 2016, 09:40  Last Wednesday's eruption at Rincón de la Vieja volcano (OVSICORI-UNA) The volcano had a new explosion from its crater lake last Wednesday 8 March. The eruption threw deposits of mud and ash onto the northern side of the crater to up to 120 m distance from the rim and generated a small plume of ash that caused light ash fall in nearby villages in up to 6 km distance to the north. ...moreThe activity at the volcano had started to increase already in 2015. Volcanologists have found evidence of several similar explosions that occurred in the past months, but the most recent one on Wednesday seems to have been significantly larger (although still small in itself). The most interesting news, however, comes from the analysis of the ejected ash. OVSICORI-UNA staff found that besides fragmented older rocks and sulfur, about 3-10 % of the ejected ash particles are glassy shards from juvenile (i.e. new) magma.  The new ash deposit on the northern crater flank (OVSICORI-UNA)  Close-up of the erupted ash: b) and c) show glassy lava from fresh magma (OVSICORI-UNA) [ less] Sun, 21 Sep 2014, 16:39  Aerial image of the crater lake of Rincon de la Vieja volcano (image: OVSICORI-UNA) The volcano increased its activity. Since 17 Sep, phreatic explosions have regularly occurred from the main crater which contains an acid lake. Although none was observed directly, at least 6 explosions could be identified by seismic signals. An aerial survey yesterday showed no fresh deposits, which suggests that the eruptions were rather small and did not eject material beyond the lake. ...morePark rangers have also observed that the volcano is currently having some increased activity: strong bubbling at the lake and floating sulfur rafts on the surface. The water temperature has increased significantly by 15 deg C., compared to measurements made in 2013. The main hazard from the volcano at present would be hot, acid mud flows (lahars) if larger explosions cause the lake to drain or eject larger quantities of water. Such lahars could affect all sides of the volcano, but the areas to the NE around the Azul and Pénjamo river beds would be most at risk. During previous eruptions such in 1995, they had been affected by lahars already.  Hazard map (Costa Rica Civil Defense) [ less] Wed, 6 Mar 2013, 12:05 OVSICORI-UNA received reports at 05:30 on 26 February of pulsing white plumes rising from Rincon de la Vieja's active crater about every four minutes. ...moreThe seismic records showed no signals associated with a phreatic eruption or sudden gas output. Cloud cover prevented views of the active crater during an overflight later that day, however clear views of the N and S flanks and areas SW showed no changes. [ less] Show more newsSat, 6 Oct 2012, 07:56  The acid crater lake. On the right there are thermal convective cells (upwelling), mainly in the south and east of the lake (RSN) The volcano has a very active hot lake whose degassing activity and temperature (48° C) increased after the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on 5 Sep. It has milky gray color due to mixing of sediments. ...moreOn September 20 RSN staff made a visit to the active crater of Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, during which they collected a sample of lake water for subsequent chemical analysis and captured thermal images and videos, both of the surface of the lake and fumaroles, and compared them with images taken in April of 2012. This revealed that there has been an increase in the temperature of the lake, while the fumarolic field remained the same.  Active crater with strong degassing (RSN)  Thermal image of the fumarolic field (RSN) [ less] Thu, 12 Apr 2012, 10:05 Over the past weeks, the National Park of Rincón de la Vieja has been observing an increase in volcanic activity, and a small phreatic eruption occurred from the main crater on 11 April. Thu, 1 Mar 2012, 16:29  Seismic recording of a phreatic explosion at 00:16 local time on 19 February 2012 New phreatic explosions were recorded at Rincón de la Vieja volcano in northern Costa Rica. ...moreOn 23 February, residents in Guachipelin (11 km to the SW) woke up to hear explosion sounds between 0400 and 0430 local time. Seismic recordings showed signals typical for explosions at the same time, although other residents in other areas did not hear any eruption. Similar seismic signals were detected on 19 Feb at 00:16 and on 20 Feb at 00:46 local time, suggesting that smaller explosions occurred then as well. [ less] More on VolcanoDiscovery: What clients have said: Browse through feedback about our tours from customers, read what they have said about us!  Photos from Vanuatu: A fascinating archipelago with very active volcanoes, tropical islands and very friendly and hospital people who still live their original Melanesian culture. Browse through our vast collection of photos. |
