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Report on Fuego (Guatemala) — 14 October-20 October 2015


Fuego

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 14 October-20 October 2015
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2015. Report on Fuego (Guatemala) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 14 October-20 October 2015. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (14 October-20 October 2015)

Fuego

Guatemala

14.473°N, 90.88°W; summit elev. 3763 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


INSIVUMEH reported that during 13-14 October lava fountains periodically rose 150 above Fuego's crater, producing a 300-m-long lava flow in the Santa Teresa (W) drainage. Weak explosions generated ash plumes that rose 750 m above the crater. During 16-17 October cloud cover prevented visual observations; explosions were heard and shock waves were detected. During 19-20 October ash plumes from explosions rose 550 m high. The lava flow was 500 m long.

Geological Summary. Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, is also one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta, lies between Fuego and Acatenango to the north. Construction of Meseta dates back to about 230,000 years and continued until the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. Collapse of Meseta 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 the mostly andesitic Acatenango. Eruptions at Fuego have become more mafic with time, and most historical activity has produced basaltic rocks. Frequent vigorous historical eruptions have been recorded since the onset of the Spanish era in 1524, and have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional pyroclastic flows and lava flows.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH)