Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2004
Summit Elevation: 4784 m 15,695 feet
Latitude: 0.171°S 0°10’15″S
Longitude: 78.598°W 78°35’54″W
Guagua Pichincha and the older Pleistocene Rucu Pichincha stratovolcanoes form a broad volcanic massif that rises immediately to the west of Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. A lava dome is located at the head of a 6-km-wide breached caldera that formed during a late-Pleistocene slope failure of Guagua Pichincha about 50,000 years ago. Subsequent late-Pleistocene and Holocene eruptions from the central vent in the breached caldera consisted of explosive activity with pyroclastic flows accompanied by periodic growth and destruction of the central lava dome. Many minor eruptions have occurred since the beginning of the Spanish era at Guagua Pichincha, which is one of Ecuador’s most active volcanoes. The largest historical eruption took place in 1660, when ash fell over a 1000 km radius, accumulating to 30 cm depth in Quito. Pyroclastic flows and surges also occurred, primarily to the west, and affected agricultural activity, causing great economic losses.
Guagua Pichincha Eruption
Guagua Pichincha Volcano is located 8 km from the centre of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The volcano is 23 km in diameter. Historical activity of the volcano has included large explosive eruptions which has produced Plinian columns, dome growth, and pyroclastic flows.
Guagua Pichincha
Pichincha Volcanic Complex consists of an extinct older volcano (Rucu Pichincha), and a younger active volcano (Guagua Pichincha). Since 1981, Guagua Pichincha volcano has begun a new phase of low seismic, phreatic and magmatic activity after being dormant for 100 years.
Originally posted 2010-08-22 04:41:43.
