By ExploreNow Editor, on May 19th, 2012%
Volcano Type: Complex volcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2010 (continuing)
Summit Elevation: 2552 m 8,373 feet
Latitude: 14.381°N 14°22’51″N
Longitude: 90.601°W 90°36’4″W
Eruptions from Pacaya, one of Guatemala’s most active volcanoes, are frequently visible from Guatemala City, the nation’s capital. Pacaya is a complex basaltic volcano constructed just outside the southern topographic rim of the 14 x 16 km Pleistocene Amatitlán caldera. A cluster of dacitic lava domes occupies the southern caldera floor. The post-caldera Pacaya massif includes the Cerro Grande lava dome and a younger volcano to the SW. Collapse of Pacaya volcano about 1100 years ago produced a debris-avalanche deposit that extends 25 km onto the Pacific coastal plain and left an arcuate somma rim inside which the modern Pacaya volcano (MacKenney cone) grew. A subsidiary crater, Cerro Chino, was constructed on the NW somma rim and was last active in the 19th century. During the past several decades, activity at Pacaya has consisted of frequent strombolian eruptions with intermittent lava flow extrusion that has partially filled in the caldera moat and armored the flanks of MacKenney cone, punctuated by occasional larger explosive eruptions that partially destroy the summit of the cone.
 Pacaya's violent eruption Click Here For The Rest Of Pacaya, Guatemala
Originally posted 2010-08-30 04:18:23.
By ExploreNow Editor, on April 21st, 2012%
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.
Click Here For The Rest Of Atitlán, Guatemala
Originally posted 2010-08-25 03:50:29.
By ExploreNow Editor, on March 22nd, 2012%
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2010 (continuing)
Summit Elevation: 3763 m 12,346 feet
Latitude: 14.473°N 14°28’22″N
Longitude: 90.880°W 90°52’49″W
Volcán Fuego, one of Central America’s most active volcanoes, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta, lies between 3763-m-high Fuego and its twin volcano to the north, Acatenango. Construction of Meseta volcano dates back to about 230,000 years and continued until the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. Collapse of Meseta volcano may have produced the massive Escuintla debris-avalanche deposit, which extends about 50 km onto the Pacific coastal plain. Growth of the modern Fuego volcano followed, continuing the southward migration of volcanism that began at Acatenango. In contrast to the mostly andesitic Acatenango volcano, eruptions at Fuego have become more mafic with time, and most historical activity has produced basaltic rocks. Frequent vigorous historical eruptions have been recorded at Fuego since the onset of the Spanish era in 1524, and have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional pyroclastic flows and lava flows.
 Fuego Volcano ash column Click Here For The Rest Of Fuego, Guatemala
Originally posted 2010-08-27 03:16:58.
By ExploreNow Editor, on February 15th, 2012%
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Holocene
Last Known Eruption: Unknown
Summit Elevation: 3760 m 12,336 feet
Latitude: 14.465°N 14°27’53″N
Longitude: 90.743°W 90°44’35″W
The symmetrical, forested Volcán de Agua stratovolcano forms an impressive backdrop to the historic former capital city of Antigua Guatemala, opposite the twin volcanoes of Fuego and Acatenango. The 3760-m-high basaltic-andesite to andesite Agua volcano has an isolated position that makes it a prominent landmark from all directions. A small, 280-m-wide circular crater is breached on the NNE side. Six small pit craters are located on the NW flank, and two small cones lie on the south flank. Agua’s symmetrical profile implies a relatively young age, although currently no dated Holocene tephra deposits are known. Agua has had no historical eruptions, but its name (the water volcano) originates from a devastating mudflow on September 11, 1541. The mudflow destroyed the first Guatemalan capital city established by the Spanish Conquistadors, which is now known as Ciudad Vieja. The catastrophe prompted the establishment of a new capital city at nearby Antigua.
Click Here For The Rest Of Agua, Guatemala
Originally posted 2010-08-25 03:50:43.
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