Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Pico.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Pico.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Pico.

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

382020

1720 CE

2,351 m / 7,713 ft

38.47°N
28.4°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano
Fissure vent
Pyroclastic cone(s)

Rock Types

Major
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite

Minor
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone
Oceanic crust (< 15 km)

Population

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

304
5,944
31,521
56,736

Geological Summary

The conical Pico stratovolcano occupies the western end of Pico Island and is the highest volcano in the Azores. The dominantly basaltic edifice lies west of on an older linear volcano with numerous flank cones that forms most of the 46-km-long island. It was constructed over the Montanha volcanic complex on the eastern side of the island and is capped by a 500-m-wide summit crater that is overtopped by a small steep-sided cone. An eruption beginning in 1562 from the Sao Roque Piedade/Planalto da Achada fissure zone produced lava flows that reached the northern coast. Two fissures erupted on the NNW flank and SE flank of Pico volcano in 1718, with lavas reaching the north and south coasts. Lava flows from a fissure on the SE flank in 1720 reached the ocean.

This volcano is located within the Azores, a UNESCO Global Geopark property.

References

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

Franca Z T M, Tassinari C C G, Cruz J V, Aparicio A Y, Arana V, Rodrigues B N, 2006. Petrology, geochemistry and Sr--Nd--Pb isotopes of the volcanic rocks from Pico Islan--Azores (Portugal). J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 156: 71-89.

IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior.

Machado F, 1982. Excursion guide for field trip V3, Islands of Fayal and Pico. Proc Internatl Symp Activity Oceanic Volc, Archipelago Univ Azores, 3: 343-349.

Neumann van Padang M, Richards A F, Machado F, Bravo T, Baker P E, Le Maitre R W, 1967. Atlantic Ocean. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 21: 1-128.

Nunes J C, Camacho A, Franca Z, Montesinos F G, Alves M, Vieira R, Velez E, Ortiz E, 2006. Gravity anomalies and crustal signature of volcano-tectonic structures of Pico Island (Azores). J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 156: 55-70.

Zbyszewski G, Ribeiro Ferreira C, Veiga Ferreira O da, Torre de Assuncao C, 1963. Geological map of Ilha do Pico (Azores). Servicos Geologicos Portugal, two 1:50,000 scale maps with 25 and 21 p texts (in Portuguese).

Eruptive History

There is data available for 3 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1963 Dec 15 (in or before) ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Off NW coast

1963 Dec 15 (in or before) - Unknown

Evidence from Unknown

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Off NW coast

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Fumarolic or Solfataric
	1963 Dec 15 (in or before)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1720 Jul 10 - 1720 Dec (?) Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

SE flank (400 m)

1720 Jul 10 - 1720 Dec (?)

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at SE flank (400 m)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow	Entered water.
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
1720 Jul 10	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1718 Feb 1 - 1718 Dec 15 ± 5 days Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

SE flank (200 m), NW flank (1200 m)

1718 Feb 1 - 1718 Dec 15 ± 5 days

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 6 Events for Episode 1 at SE flank (200 m), NW flank (1200 m)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow	Entered water.
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
1718	- - - -	Fatalities
1718 Feb 1	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1562 Sep 21 (?) - 1564 (?) Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

East flank (800 m)

1562 Sep 21 (?) - 1564 (?)

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at East flank (800 m)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow	Entered water.
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
1562 Sep 21 (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

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.

Synonyms

Pico, Pico do

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Bocas de Fogo

Vent

Montanha

Stratovolcano

Topo

Shield volcano

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Sao Roque Peidade

Fissure vent

Photo Gallery

The conical Pico stratovolcano rising above the clouds is seen here from Fayal Island to the northwest. The 46-km-long Pico Island can be broadly separated into the Pico stratovolcano in the west, the Planalto da Achada fissure zone in the east (a roughly 30-km-long linear ridge of fissures and cones), and the Topo-Lajes volcano in the south. Pico volcano is capped by a 560-m-wide summit crater that contains a small steep-sided cone visible on the left side of the summit in this image. Recent eruptions have been recorded from the flanks of Pico and in the Planalto da Achada fissure zone.

Photo by Rick Wunderman, 1997 (Smithsonian Institution).

Pico volcano, the highest in the Azores, is located across a narrow 6-km-wide channel southeast of Fayal Island. From this direction, the stratovolcano appears to be a symmetrical cone, but it lies at the far western end of an elongated chain of cones that forms a roughly 800-m-high ridge extending ESE across Pico Island. Fumaroles are located near a small cone filling the summit crater, but eruptions recorded since 1562 CE have all occurred from flank vents.

Photo by Rick Wunderman, 1997 (Smithsonian Institution).

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

The following 1 samples associated with this volcano can be found in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences collections, and may be availble for research (contact the Rock and Ore Collections Manager). Catalog number links will open a window with more information.

Catalog Number	Sample Description	Lava Source	Collection Date
NMNH 116691-15	Ankaramite	--	1 Aug 1980

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 Pico. 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 Pico. 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 Pico

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).