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Siete Orejas

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 14.82°N
  • 91.62°W

  • 3370 m
    11056 ft

  • 342809
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports for Siete Orejas.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Siete Orejas.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Siete Orejas.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

The Global Volcanism Program is not aware of any Holocene eruptions from Siete Orejas. If this volcano has had large eruptions (VEI >= 4) prior to 10,000 years ago, information might be found on the Siete Orejas page in the LaMEVE (Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions) database, a part of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Siete Orejas.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Siete Orejas.

Photo Gallery

An aerial view from the SE shows the Santiaguito lava dome complex at the base of the 1.5-km-wide 1902 crater on the SW flank of Santa María. Lava flows from the Caliente dome at the eastern side of Santiaguito descend to the bottom center of the photo; lava flows from the western El Brujo vent are visible at the lower left. The broad volcano to the upper left is Siete Orejas.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1980 (Michigan Technological University).
The thick unvegetated lava flow descending diagonally across the photo originated from El Brujo (upper right) at the western end of the Santiaguito lava dome complex. This north-looking 1970 view shows Santiaguito's SW-flank topography prior to a period of rapid lava extrusion from El Brujo during 1972-75. The flanks of Siete Orejas volcano form the horizon.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1970 (Michigan Technological University).
The southern side of Siete Orejas volcano is cut by a large breached caldera drained by the Ocosito river. The caldera, seen here from the SW, is 3.5 km wide and more than 10 km long, and its walls tower about 1000 m above the caldera floor. The origin of the caldera is uncertain, but may involve one or more processes including collapse following a major explosive eruption, collapse by slope failure, and excavation by headward stream erosion.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1980 (Michigan Technological University).
The massive breached caldera of Siete Orejas volcano is seen here from the south, the direction in which it is breached by the Ocosito river. Irregularities on the broad rim of the 3.5 x 10 km caldera give the volcano its name, which means "Seven Ears."

Photo by Bill Rose, 1980 (Michigan Technological University).
Massive airfall pumice deposits blanket the countryside around Siete Orejas volcano. The coarse white rhyodacitic pumice creates the impression of snowfall over broad areas, and on the volcano itself the mantle is so thick that underlying lavas are rarely exposed. Eruption of the airfall pumice was followed by the production of massive pumiceous pyroclastic flows that filled the valley of Quetzaltenango to depths up to about 75 m.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1981 (Michigan Technological University).
The NE flanks of the broad Siete Orejas massif rise above farmlands on the banks of the Sigüilá river. A large caldera is breached to the south, on the opposite side of the volcano. The volcano overlooks Quetzaltenango, Guatemala's second largest city, which is out of view to the left. The broad irregular summit profile gives the volcano its name, which means "Seven Ears." The latest eruption of Siete Orejas is stratigraphically constrained to have occurred between about 126,000 and 85,000 years ago.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1974 (Michigan Technological University).
The deep valley cutting across the center of the photo is the elongated breached caldera of Siete Orejas volcano. It is seen here from the SE from near the summit of Santa María volcano. Light-colored areas on the caldera rim are voluminous rhyodacitic pumice deposits from Siete Orejas. Tacaná volcano on the México/Guatemala border is on the left-center horizon, and Tajumulco is visible to its right. These are the two highest volcanoes of Guatemala.

Photo by Bill Rose, 1972 (Michigan Technological University).
Santa María, located south of the city Quetzaltenango, is one of the country's most active volcanoes. The Santiaguito lava dome complex was constructed within a large crater formed during the 1902 eruption. The unvegetated lava flow above and to the right of Santa María was erupted from Cerro Quemado, part of the Almolonga volcanic complex, which also includes the series of lava domes to the north of Cerro Quemado. The large forested valley to the left is part of Siete Orejas volcano.

NASA International Space Station image ISS004-E-7999, 2002 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).
The large scarp of Siete Orejas is down the center of this November 2020 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top; this image is approximately 21 km across). Seven peaks surround the scarp, which likely formed during flank collapse towards the south. The city of Quetzaltenango is NE and Santa María volcano is SE, with a gas plume rising from the Caliente Dome. The Volcan Chicabal is on the SW flank, containing Chicabal Lake.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2020 (https://www.planet.com/).
GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Siete Orejas in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites