Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Las Cumbres.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Las Cumbres.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Las Cumbres.

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

341098

3920 BCE

3,940 m / 12,927 ft

19.15°N
97.27°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano
Caldera
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Dacite
Rhyolite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

113
1,923
315,004
6,365,085

Geological Summary

The Las Cumbres volcanic complex, a Quaternary center about 15 km NNE of Pico de Orizaba, contains a 3.5-4.5 km wide summit caldera narrowly breached on the east side. A dacitic lava dome (Cerro Gordo or El Cumbre Grande) lies in the center of the caldera. A group of monogenetic cones, explosion craters, and andesitic and rhyolitic lava domes is located north and south of Cerro las Cumbres. Three of these, Xalista and El Rodeo to the north, and Ixetal to the south, are obsidian domes. A major rhyolitic explosive eruption producing the Quetzalapa Pumice about 20,000 years ago originated from a vent on the lower NW flank of the Las Cumbres complex. Eruptive activity at the main Las Cumbres complex ceased during the late Pleistocene, although activity on the flanks of the edifice continued into the Holocene. The rhyolitic Yolotepec lava dome, north of Las Cumbres, has been radiocarbon dated at about 5900 years before present.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Carrasco-Nunez G, Diaz-Castellon R, Siebert L, Hubbard B, Sheridan M F, Rodriguez S R, 2006. Multiple edifice-collapse events in the Eastern Mexican Volcanic Belt: the role of sloping substrate and implications for hazard assessment. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 158: 151-176.

Hoskuldsson A, 2001. Late Pleistocene subglacial caldera formation at Cerro las Cumbres, eastern Mexico. Jokull, 50: 49-64.

Hoskuldsson A, Robin C, 1993. Late Pleistocene to Holocene eruptive activity of Pico de Orizaba, Eastern Mexico. Bull Volcanol, 55: 571-587.

Luhr J F, Kimberly P G, Siebert L, Aranda-Gomez J J, Housh T B, Kysar Mattietti G, 2006. Quaternary volcanic rocks: insights from the MEXPET petrological and geochemical database. In: Siebe S, Macias J-L, Aguirre-Diaz G J (eds) Neogone-Quaternary continental margin volcanism: a perspective from Mexico, Geol Soc Amer Spec Pap, 402: 1-44.

Negendank J F W, Emmermann R, Krawczyk R, Mooser F, Tobschall H, Werle D, 1985. Geological and geochemical investigations on the eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Geof Internac, 24: 477-575.

Rodriguez S-R, Siebe C, Komorowski J-C, Abrams M, 2002. The Quetzalapa Pumice: a voluminous late Pleistocene rhyolite deposit in the eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 113: 177-212.

Siebe C, Abrams M, Sheridan M F, 1993. Major Holocene block-and-ash fan at the western slope of ice-capped Pico de Orizaba volcano, Mexico: Implications for future hazards. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 59: 1-33.

Siebe C, Macias J L, Abrams M, Rodriguez S, Castro R, 1997. Catastrophic prehistoric eruptions at Popocatepetl and Quaternary explosive volcanism in the Serdan-Oriental Basin, east-central Mexico. IAVCEI General Assembly, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, January 19-24, 1997, Fieldtrip Guidebook, Excursion no 4, 88 p.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

3920 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

North flank (Yolotepec lava dome)

3920 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 1 Events for Episode 1 at North flank (Yolotepec lava dome)

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome

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.

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Capilla, La

Crater

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Chichihuale

Dome

19° 6' 0.00" N

97° 20' 0.00" W

Cumbre Grande, El

Dome

Gordo, Cerro

Dome

19° 10' 0.00" N

97° 15' 0.00" W

Ixtetal

Dome

19° 7' 0.00" N

97° 16' 0.00" W

Rodeo, El

Dome

19° 14' 30.00" N

97° 18' 0.00" W

Sillatepec

Dome

19° 6' 0.00" N

97° 17' 30.00" W

Xalista

Dome

19° 14' 0.00" N

97° 16' 30.00" W

Yolotepec

Dome

19° 15' 0.00" N

97° 15' 30.00" W

Photo Gallery

The flat-topped summit of Las Cumbres volcanic complex, a Quaternary volcano NNE of Pico de Orizaba, is seen here from the NW across the Serdán-Oriental basin. A 3.5-4.5 km wide summit caldera is partially filled by the Cerro Gordo lava dome. At least one of a group of monogenetic cones, craters, and lava domes on the flanks of the volcano is of Holocene age.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1997 (Smithsonian Institution).

The broad ridge on the horizon is Las Cumbres volcanic complex, a Quaternary center NNE of Pico de Orizaba that contains a 3.5-4.5 km wide summit caldera. The Las Cumbres complex lies in the southern half of the Pico de Orizaba-Cofre de Perote volcanic chain and is topographically much less prominent than the two major volcanoes at the ends of the chain.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1998 (Smithsonian Institution).

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

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

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Las Cumbres. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Las Cumbres. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Las Cumbres

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).