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Tres Vírgenes

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Volcanic Region
  • Landform | Volc Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  • 27.47°N
  • 112.591°W

  • 1,934 m
    6,345 ft

  • 341010
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Tres Vírgenes.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Tres Vírgenes.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Tres Vírgenes.

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

The Global Volcanism Program is not aware of any Holocene eruptions from Tres Vírgenes. If this volcano has had large eruptions (VEI >= 4) prior to 12,000 years ago, information might be found on the Tres Vírgenes page in the LaMEVE (Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions) database, a part of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Tres Vírgenes.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Tres Vírgenes.

Photo Gallery

El Azufre volcano (center) is the central peak of the Tres Vírgenes volcanic complex. Its summit lies about 4 km N of the highest peak of the complex, La Vírgen (left). The small peak immediately to the right of El Azufre is El Viejo, the oldest edifice of the complex. El Viejo was constructed SW of the Pleistocene El Aguajito caldera, partly visible on the far-right horizon. Both El Viejo and El Azufre are composed of lava domes and flows.

Photo by Marjorie Summers, 1987 (Smithsonian Institution).
The two most prominent peaks of the Tres Vírgenes volcanic complex in central Baja California are seen here from the SSW. The peak to the left is El Azufre, a dacite lava dome complex. La Vírgen (right), consisting of andesite lava domes and flank scoria cones, formed more recently and has a more complicated history. It has erupted from both summit and flank vents and has produced both Plinian explosive eruptions and dacitic and andesitic lava flows.

Photo by José Macías, 1995 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).
The middle unit of the La Vírgen Plinian fall deposit displays a massive structure (lacking internal structure) with large pink pumice fragments. This deposit, more than 1 km3, is the product of a major explosive eruption that occurred from Tres Vírgenes volcano. The dispersal axis of this airfall deposit was to the SW. The eruption also included the emplacement of pyroclastic flows and voluminous lava flows.

Photo by José Macías, 1995 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).
This view from the SE shows the Tres Vírgenes volcanic group, which is aligned in a SW-NE direction. Volcanism has migrated to the SW from the oldest peak El Viejo (far right) through El Volcán Azufre to La Vírgen (center), the highest peak. The ridges on the left flank of La Vírgen are rhyodacite lava flows from a major eruption; the smooth hills in the foreground are Quaternary ignimbrite sheets probably related to the Pleistocene La Reforma caldera to the east.

Photo by José Macías, 1995 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).
This view shows the SSW flank of Tres Vírgenes in Baja California. Much of the volcano consists of lava domes and viscous lava flows. The hills on the flanks are rhyodacite lava flows associated with a Plinian eruption. The aligned flat-topped terraces on the plain are underlain by basaltic andesitic lava flows of Tertiary age.

Photo by José Macías, 1995 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).
The Tres Vírgenes volcanic complex consists of three stratovolcanoes constructed along a NE-SW line, seen here from the SE. La Vírgen (the youngest and highest when this 1995 photo was taken) is seen to the he left, with the El Azufre peak to the right and the older El Viejo forming the lower peak to the far right. The sparsely vegetated dark lava flow in the foreground is one of the youngest from La Virgen. A major Plinian eruption from a SW-flank vent was followed the by extrusion of a thick lava flow.

Photo by José Macías, 1995 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).
The Tres Vírgenes volcanic complex in central Baja California consists of a NE-SW-trending chain of three volcanoes, seen here from the SE. Volcanism has migrated over time to the SW. El Azufre is the intermediate-age cone to the right and La Vírgen is to the left. The latest major eruption produced a Plinian pumice fall deposit and thick lava flows from a vent near the ridge seen halfway up the SW flank (left).

Photo by Brian Hausback, 1990 (California State University, Sacramento).
Las Tres Vírgenes is viewed here from the SSE along State Highway 1. The steep-sided Pinto dacite coulée dome is the notable feature on the SW flank (left). Directly in the center, on the S flank, are the Virgen dacite lava domes. The lava flows across the bottom of the photo are part of the Miocene Esperanza Basalt.

Photo by Brian Hausback, 1990 (California State University, Sacramento).
Three major Quaternary volcanic complexes are visible in this Landsat satellite image of Baja California. The N-S-trending Las Vírgenes volcanic complex to the left consists of three stratovolcanoes that are progressively younger towards the south. The 10-km-wide La Reforma caldera along the Gulf of California coast to the right displays darker andesite flanks and a resurgent dome in the center. The extensively eroded El Aguajito caldera has indistinct margins but the large resurgent dome forms the roughly circular eroded hills west of La Reforma.

NASA Landsat image (processed by Brian Hausback, UC Sacramento).
GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

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.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Tres Vírgenes in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites