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Pacaya

Complex volcano · Guatemala · 2569m

The Volcán de Pacaya massif rises above the capital city of Guatemala, located only 30 km to the north. The rounded, forested lava dome of Cerro Grande forms the high point at the left. The next highest peak to the right is the historically active vent of Pacaya, with the right-hand summit being the MacKenney cone, which has been active since 1965. Eruptions of Pacaya are often visible from Guatemala City.
The Volcán de Pacaya massif rises above the capital city of Guatemala, located only 30 km to the north. The rounded, forested lava dome of Cerro Grande forms the high point at the left. The next highest peak to the right is the historically active vent of Pacaya, with the right-hand summit being the MacKenney cone, which has been active since 1965. Eruptions of Pacaya are often visible from Guatemala City. · Photo: Photo by Bill Rose, 1989 (Michigan Technological University). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Complex volcano
Country
Guatemala
Region
Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions / Central America Volcanic Arc
Elevation
2569m
Coordinates
14.382, -90.601
Last eruption
2021
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

Eruptions from Pacaya are frequently visible from Guatemala City, the nation's capital. This complex basaltic volcano was constructed just outside the southern topographic rim of the 14 x 16 km Pleistocene Amatitlán caldera. A cluster of dacitic lava domes occupies the southern caldera floor. The post-caldera Pacaya massif includes the older Pacaya Viejo and Cerro Grande stratovolcanoes and the currently active Mackenney stratovolcano. Collapse of Pacaya Viejo between 600 and 1,500 years ago produced a debris-avalanche deposit that extends 25 km onto the Pacific coastal plain and left an arcuate scarp inside which the modern Pacaya volcano (Mackenney cone) grew. The NW-flank Cerro Chino crater was last active in the 19th century. During the past several decades, activity has consisted of frequent Strombolian eruptions with intermittent lava flow extrusion that has partially filled in the caldera moat and covered the flanks of Mackenney cone, punctuated by occasional larger explosive eruptions that partially destroy the summit.

From Wikipedia

Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. It rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres (8,373 ft). After being dormant for over 70 years, it began erupting vigorously in 1961 and has been erupting frequently since then. Much of its activity is Strombolian, but occasionally Plinian eruptions also occur, sometimes showering the area of the nearby Departments with ash.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
400~562 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 2723~885 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31046~1208 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31208~1369 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31531~1692 · 12 eruptions · max VEI 31692~1854 · 8 eruptions · max VEI 31854~2015 · 12 eruptions · max VEI 3400723120815311854

Detailed timeline

  1. 2015VEI 1Observed
    2015-06-07 – 2021-08-13
    MacKenney Crater
  2. 2014VEI 1Observed
    2014-08-25 – 2015-02-17
    MacKenney Crater
  3. 2013VEI 2Observed
    2013-03-05 – 2014-04-10
    MacKenney Crater
  4. 2006VEI 3Observed
    2006-03-09 – 2010-10-26
    MacKenney Cone
  5. 2004VEI 3Observed
    2004-07-19 – 2005-09-11
    MacKenney Cone and lower S flank
  6. 2002VEI 1Observed
    2002-05-30 – 2002-06-17
    MacKenney Crater
  7. 2001VEI 1Observed
    2001-10-31 – 2001-10-31
    MacKenney Crater
  8. 2000VEI 1Observed
    2000-08-16 – 2001-07-05
    MacKenney Crater
  9. 1990VEI 3Observed
    1990-01-04 – 2000-03-01
    MacKenney Crater and flank vents
  10. 1965VEI 3Observed
    1965-07-04 – 1989-03-10
    MacKenney Crater and flank vents
  11. 1961VEI 2Observed
    1961-03-11 – 1961-04-15
    Cachajinas vent (South flank, 1860 m)
  12. 1885VEI 2Observed
    1885-12 – Ongoing
  13. 1846VEI 2Observed
    1846-02 – Ongoing
    Cerro Chino
  14. 1830VEI ?Geological estimate
    1830 – Ongoing
  15. 1805VEI 2Observed
    1805 – Ongoing
  16. 1775VEI 3Observed
    1775-07-01 – 1775-07-23
    Cerro Chino (SW flank and summit)
  17. 1760VEI ?Geological estimate
    1760 – Ongoing
  18. 1717VEI ?Geological estimate
    1717 – Ongoing
  19. 1699VEI 2Observed
    1699-06-29 – Ongoing
  20. 1693VEI 2Observed
    1693 – Ongoing
  21. 1690VEI 2Observed
    1690 – Ongoing
  22. 1687VEI 2Observed
    1687-03-26 – 1687-03-27
  23. 1678VEI 2Observed
    1678-08 – Ongoing
  24. 1677VEI ?Geological estimate
    1677-07 – Ongoing
  25. 1674VEI 2Observed
    1674-07 – Ongoing
  26. 1671VEI 2Observed
    1671-08 – Ongoing
  27. 1668VEI 2Observed
    1668-08 – 1669-06-29
  28. 1664VEI 3Observed
    1664 – Ongoing
  29. 1655VEI 2Observed
    1655-07 – Ongoing
  30. 1651VEI 2Observed
    1651-02-18 – 1651-04-13
  31. 1623VEI 3Observed
    1623 – Ongoing
  32. 1565VEI 3Observed
    1565-08 – Ongoing
    Cerro Chino
  33. 1360 (±75 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1360 – Ongoing
    Cerro Chino
  34. 1160 (±75 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1160 – Ongoing
    MacKenney Crater
  35. 880 (±500 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    880 – Ongoing
  36. 400 (±50 yrs)VEI 2Geological estimate
    400 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.