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Barva

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 10.135°N
  • 84.1°W

  • 2906 m
    9534 ft

  • 345050
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: September 2003 (BGVN 28:09) Citation IconCite this Report

Two crater lakes visited in December 2002

Geologist Raul Mora, along with Carlos Ramirez and Maritta Alvarado, visited Barva volcano during December 2002 and investigated the Barva and Copey crater lakes. Located in a small crater, the Barva crater lake (figure 1) was very clear; at 5 m from the shore the water had a temperature of 11-12°C with a pH of 4-5. Water in the Copey lake was amber colored and very cloudy, with a temperature at 0.5 m depth of 12.2°C and a pH of 5. Near-surface black lapilli deposits were found that were more than a meter thick near the Barva lake, but became more irregular in thickness around the Copey lake.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Photograph of the Barva crater lake, December 2002. The lake has an area of 9,000 m2 and a depth of ~ 7.7 m. Courtesy of Raul Mora.

Information Contacts: Raul Mora Amador, Red Sismologica Nacional, Laboratorio de Sismologia, Vulcanologia y Exploracion Geofisica, Universidad de Costa Rica, Apartado 214 (2060) UCR, San Jose, Costa Rica (URL: http://rsn.ucr.ac.cr/).

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Barva.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

09/2003 (BGVN 28:09) Two crater lakes visited in December 2002




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


September 2003 (BGVN 28:09) Citation IconCite this Report

Two crater lakes visited in December 2002

Geologist Raul Mora, along with Carlos Ramirez and Maritta Alvarado, visited Barva volcano during December 2002 and investigated the Barva and Copey crater lakes. Located in a small crater, the Barva crater lake (figure 1) was very clear; at 5 m from the shore the water had a temperature of 11-12°C with a pH of 4-5. Water in the Copey lake was amber colored and very cloudy, with a temperature at 0.5 m depth of 12.2°C and a pH of 5. Near-surface black lapilli deposits were found that were more than a meter thick near the Barva lake, but became more irregular in thickness around the Copey lake.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Photograph of the Barva crater lake, December 2002. The lake has an area of 9,000 m2 and a depth of ~ 7.7 m. Courtesy of Raul Mora.

Information Contacts: Raul Mora Amador, Red Sismologica Nacional, Laboratorio de Sismologia, Vulcanologia y Exploracion Geofisica, Universidad de Costa Rica, Apartado 214 (2060) UCR, San Jose, Costa Rica (URL: http://rsn.ucr.ac.cr/).

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

There is data available for 1 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1867 Mar ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
1867 Mar - Unknown Evidence from Unknown

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion Uncertain

6050 BCE ± 2000 years Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
6050 BCE ± 2000 years - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
6050 BCE ± 1000 years    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Barva.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Barva.

Photo Gallery

Volcán Barva has a broad summit containing three main peaks (top right) as seen here looking N from the Central Valley of Costa Rica. A large 2 x 3 km crater opens to the ESE behind the summit. A large Plinian eruption occurred at Barva during the early Holocene.

Photo by William Melson, 1993 (Smithsonian Institution)
The SW peak of Barva has at least four volcanic cones. This cone contains the 70-m-wide Barva crater lake. Nineteenth-century visitors to the lagoon noted similar dense vegetation as seen today, discounting reports of earlier historical eruptions.

Photo by José Enrique Valverde Sanabria, 1999 (courtesy of Eduardo Malavassi, OVSICORI-UNA).
The summit area of Volcán Barva is composed of a series of overlapping cones with about a dozen vents. At the lower right is Danta cone with a small crater lake. Forest-covered lava flows can be seen to its left. Barva is the topographic high point of Braulio Carillo National Park.

Photo by Federico Chavarria Kopper, 1999 (courtesy of Eduardo Malavassi, OVSICORI-UNA).
Barva volcano rises to the east above the southern flanks of neighboring Poás volcano. The massive Barva volcano is dotted with numerous satellitic vents, some of which are visible along the irregular northern horizon (left). Multiple lava flows descend the southern flank of Barva. One of the more recent of these is the Los Angeles flow, which reaches nearly to the city of Heredia (out of view to the right). Barva is the only one of four major stratovolcanoes near the capital city of San José that lacks confirmed historical eruptions.

Photo by Ichio Moriya (Kanazawa University).
The southern flank of Barva is in the foreground of this photo, with Irazú massif to the SE in the background. One of the youngest lava flows on Barva, the Los Angeles flow, traveled down the south flank almost as far as the city of Heredia. Barva and Irazú are visible from the nation's capital city, San José out of view to the right. Irazú is sometimes known as the "Colossus" due to its size and occasionally destructive eruptions.

Photo by Ichio Moriya (Kanazawa University).
Barva volcano (also spelled Barba) rises to the NE above the western outskirts of San José. The volcano lies about 22 km north of the city. Three peaks along the broad summit ridge give rise to the name Las Tres Marías (The Three Marias). No confirmed historical eruptions are known from Barva, but thermal springs are found near Porrosati de Barva, Gongolona peak, and along ridges to the north side of the volcano. Sulfur vapor and mineral deposition occurs at landslide scarps on the flanks of the volcano.

Photo by Ichio Moriya (Kanazawa University).
The roughly 300-m-wide Barva crater lake is surrounded by dense forest. The clear waters of the shallow lake are about 8 m deep, and a pH of 4-5 was measured in December 2002.

Photo by Raul Mora, 2002 (University of Costa Rica).
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

The following 116 samples associated with this volcano can be found in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences collections, and may be availble for research (contact the Rock and Ore Collections Manager). Catalog number links will open a window with more information.

Catalog Number Sample Description Lava Source Collection Date
NMNH 115994-0 Soil -- 1 May 1984
NMNH 116066-494 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-495 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-496 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-497 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-498 Andesite -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-499 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-500 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-501 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-502 Tephra -- 2 May 1985
NMNH 116066-521 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-522 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-523 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-524 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-525 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-526 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-527 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-528 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-529 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-530 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-531 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-532 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-533 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-534 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-535 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-536 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-537 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-538 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-539 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-541 Volcanic Rock -- --
NMNH 116066-544 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-545 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-546 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-547 Volcanic Rock -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-548 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-549 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-550 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-551 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-552 Tephra -- 2 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-615 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-616 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-617 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-618 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-619 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-620 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-621 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-622 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-623 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-624 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-625 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-626 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-627 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-628 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-629 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-630 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-631 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-632 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-633 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-634 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-635 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-636 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-637 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-638 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-639 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-640 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-641 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-642 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-643 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-650 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-651 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-652 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-653 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-654 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-655 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-656 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-657 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-658 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-659 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-660 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-661 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-662 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-663 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-664 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-665 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-666 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-667 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-668 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-669 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-671 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-672 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-673 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-674 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-675 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-676 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-677 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-678 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-679 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-680 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-681 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-682 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-683 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-684 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-685 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-717 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-718 Tephra -- --
NMNH 116066-866 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-867 Volcanic Rock -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-868 Xenolith -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-869 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-870 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-871 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-872 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-873 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-874 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-875 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
NMNH 116066-876 Tephra -- 25 Jun 1985
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