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Report on Ubinas (Peru) — 17 June-23 June 2015


Ubinas

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 17 June-23 June 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, 17 June-23 June 2015. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (17 June-23 June 2015)

Ubinas

Peru

16.355°S, 70.903°W; summit elev. 5672 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) Observatorio Volcanológico del Sur (OVS) reported that during 17-22 June the occurrence of long-period earthquakes slightly increased to an average of 110 events/day from 62 events/day the previous week. Volcano-tectonic events continued to occur at a high rate. Harmonic tremor and hybrid events were also detected. Ash-and-gas emissions rose as high as 2 km above the crater base and drifted in multiple directions; 12 emissions were counted, eight of them on 22 June.

Geological Summary. A small, 1.4-km-wide caldera cuts the top of Ubinas, Perú's most active volcano, giving it a truncated appearance. 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 degrees. The steep-walled, 150-m-deep summit caldera 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 of Holocene age about 1,000 years ago. Holocene lava flows are visible on the flanks, but historical activity, documented since the 16th century, has consisted of intermittent minor-to-moderate explosive eruptions.

Source: Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP)