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Report on Poas (Costa Rica) — 22 June-28 June 2016


Poas

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 22 June-28 June 2016
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2016. Report on Poas (Costa Rica) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 22 June-28 June 2016. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (22 June-28 June 2016)

Poas

Costa Rica

10.2°N, 84.233°W; summit elev. 2697 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


According to news articles, phreatic explosions from the hot lake at Poás occurred multiple times in June. Explosions at 0900 on 5 June, 1854 on 13 June, and 1952 on 14 June ejected water and steam many meters above the lake’s surface. Three small explosions, lasting about five seconds each based on the seismic signals, occurred during 0600-0603 on 18 June and ejected water, steam, and debris no more than 50 m above the lake’s surface. Phreatic explosions were also registered on 19 June.

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.

Sources: Prensa Libre, Prensa Latina