Turrialba volcano: awaking indications of possible unrest
Abstract
Based on historical descriptions and reports, Turrialba volcano has presented events like incandescence, SO2 combustion, phreatic eruptions, that preceded the only historical magmatic eruption (1864-1866), this VEI value 2 eruption covered a surface area of 3400 km2, successively the volcano enter in a period of calm. During most of the 80's and 90's the volcano was under low seismic activity and low temperature fumaroles (<100°C). At the end of the 90's and the firsts years of 00's there was a small changes on fumarole fields sizes and small increase on temperature and microquakes, but it was after 2005 that the volcano increased the seismicity from 10 to 100 diary microquakes, accompained by a higher degassing, acid rain and fumaroles over ≈250°C. On January 5th, 2010 the volcano had a serial of phreatic eruptions, which formed an elongated intracrateric vent named "Boquete 2010", at the NW crater, which reached maximum temperatures of 560°C, also incandescence at night with sporadically emission of non-juvenile ashes. Later on June 2011, "Boquete 2010" temperature decreased to ≈300°C, but some new fumaroles appeared in the NW intracrater with a maximum temperature of 531°C, also with incandescence and SO2 blue combustion gases. Finally on January 11, 2012 during a fieldwork caused by thermal images showing the increase on temperature of fumaroles (≈250°C to ≈450°C), a couple of active sulphur flows of at least 100m long appeared, that flows behaved like a newtonian liquid with similar setting of a pahoehoe lava. Next day on January 12, the volcano had a serial of phreatic eruptions with emission of non-juvenile ashes and formed a new vent ("Boquete 2012") in outer eastern wall of the NW crater, that reach temperatures of 780°C also with incandescence and SO2 combustion gases.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.V33A2837G
- Keywords:
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- 8400 VOLCANOLOGY;
- 8419 VOLCANOLOGY / Volcano monitoring;
- 8424 VOLCANOLOGY / Hydrothermal systems;
- 8488 VOLCANOLOGY / Volcanic hazards and risks