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Report on Ubinas (Peru) — 22 July-28 July 2015


Ubinas

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 22 July-28 July 2015
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2015. Report on Ubinas (Peru) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 22 July-28 July 2015. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (22 July-28 July 2015)

Ubinas

Peru

16.345°S, 70.8972°W; summit elev. 5608 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) Observatorio Volcanológico del Sur (OVS) reported that during 21-26 July seismic activity at Ubinas increased, particularly during 25-26 July. Constant gas, steam, and ash emissions were observed during 21-24 July. On 25 July bluish gas emissions were observed most of the day until a strong explosion (the strongest so far in 2015) at 1903 ejected ash, lapilli, and ballistics. Lapilli and some 1-2-cm-long fragments fell in the towns of Ubinas (6.5 km SSE) and Escacha. Another explosion was registered at 2003.

Geological Summary. The truncated appearance of Ubinas, Perú's most active volcano, is a result of a 1.4-km-wide crater at the summit. It is the northernmost of three young volcanoes located along a regional structural lineament about 50 km behind the main volcanic front. The growth and destruction of Ubinas I was followed by construction of Ubinas II beginning in the mid-Pleistocene. The upper slopes of the andesitic-to-rhyolitic Ubinas II stratovolcano are composed primarily of andesitic and trachyandesitic lava flows and steepen to nearly 45°. The steep-walled, 150-m-deep summit crater contains an ash cone with a 500-m-wide funnel-shaped vent that is 200 m deep. Debris-avalanche deposits from the collapse of the SE flank about 3,700 years ago extend 10 km from the volcano. Widespread Plinian pumice-fall deposits include one from about 1,000 years ago. Holocene lava flows are visible on the flanks, but activity documented since the 16th century has consisted of intermittent minor-to-moderate explosive eruptions.

Source: Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP)