Atitlán, Guatemala

Volcano Type:   Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption:  1853
Summit Elevation:  3535 m  11,598 feet
Latitude:  14.583°N  14°34’58″N
Longitude:  91.186°W  91°11’11″W

Volcán Atitlán is one of several prominent conical stratovolcanoes in the Guatemalan highlands. Along with its twin volcano Tolimán to the north, it forms a dramatic backdrop to Lake Atitlán, one of the scenic highlights of the country. The 3535-m-high summit of Atitlán directly overlies the inferred margin of the Pleistocene Atitlán III caldera and is the highest of three large post-caldera stratovolcanoes constructed near the southern caldera rim. The volcano consequently post-dates the eruption of the voluminous, roughly 85,000-year-old rhyolitic Los Chocoyos tephra associated with formation of the Atitlán III caldera. The historically active andesitic Volcán Atitlán is younger than Tolimán, although their earlier activity overlapped. In contrast to Tolimán, Atitlán displays a thick pyroclastic cover. The northern side of the volcano is wooded to near the summit, whereas the upper 1000 m of the southern slopes are unvegetated. Predominantly explosive eruptions have been recorded from Volcán Atitlán since the 15th century.

Atitlán volcano is located in the Highlands of Guatemala. Other scenic areas closeby include lake Atitlán and Toliman volcano. The northern side of the volcano is wooded to near the summit, whereas the upper 1000 m of the southern slopes are unvegetated. Predominantly explosive eruptions have been recorded from Volcán Atitlán since the 15th century. Three Quaternary composite cones, San Pedro, Tolimán, and Atitlán, are found along the south side of the Lake Atitlán in the Guatemalan Highlands. Atitlán straddles the southern marginal fault of the Atitlán Cauldron. Atitlán has erupted dominantly pyroclastic materials, in contrast to adjacent Toliman which has erupted viscous lava flows and domes.

Originally posted 2010-08-25 03:50:29.