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Report on Poas (Costa Rica) — 29 March-4 April 2006


Poas

Smithsonian / US Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report,
29 March-4 April 2006
Managing Editor: Sally Kuhn Sennert

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2006. Report on Poas (Costa Rica). In: Sennert, S K (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 29 March-4 April 2006. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (29 March-4 April 2006)

Poas

Costa Rica

10.2°N, 84.233°W; summit elev. 2697 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Following phreatic eruptions that began at Poás on 24 March, seismicity decreased at the volcano by 27 March. In addition, harmonic tremor that was recorded during the heightened activity ceased. As of the 27th, no significant deformation was recorded at the volcano and abundant evaporation continued at Caliente Lake.

Geological Summary. The broad vegetated edifice of Poás, one of the most active volcanoes of Costa Rica, contains three craters along a N-S line. The frequently visited multi-hued summit crater lakes of the basaltic-to-dacitic volcano are easily accessible by vehicle from the nearby capital city of San José. A N-S-trending fissure cutting the complex stratovolcano extends to the lower N flank, where it has produced the Congo stratovolcano and several lake-filled maars. The southernmost of the two summit crater lakes, Botos, last erupted about 7,500 years ago. The more prominent geothermally heated northern lake, Laguna Caliente, is one of the world's most acidic natural lakes, with a pH of near zero. It has been the site of frequent phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions since an eruption was reported in 1828. Eruptions often include geyser-like ejections of crater-lake water.

Source: Observatorio Vulcanologico y Sismologico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI-UNA)