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Turrialba

Stratovolcano · Costa Rica · 3340m

The Turrialba summit crater complex is seen here from the north, with the Central Valley of Costa Rica in the background. Three well-defined craters can be seen at the upper SW end of the broad summit area. Hydrothermally altered deposits can be seen at the central and SW summit craters (right), where geothermal activity continues.
The Turrialba summit crater complex is seen here from the north, with the Central Valley of Costa Rica in the background. Three well-defined craters can be seen at the upper SW end of the broad summit area. Hydrothermally altered deposits can be seen at the central and SW summit craters (right), where geothermal activity continues. · Photo: Photo by Federico Chavarria Kopper, 1999. · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Costa Rica
Region
Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions / Central America Volcanic Arc
Elevation
3340m
Coordinates
10.025, -83.767
Last eruption
2022
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Turrialba, the easternmost of Costa Rica's Holocene volcanoes, is a large vegetated basaltic-to-dacitic stratovolcano located across a broad saddle NE of Irazú volcano overlooking the city of Cartago. The massive edifice covers an area of 500 km2. Three well-defined craters occur at the upper SW end of a broad 800 x 2200 m summit depression that is breached to the NE. Most activity originated from the summit vent complex, but two pyroclastic cones are located on the SW flank. Five major explosive eruptions have occurred during the past 3500 years. A series of explosive eruptions during the 19th century were sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows. Fumarolic activity continues at the central and SW summit craters.

From Wikipedia

Turrialba Volcano is an active volcano in central Costa Rica that has been eruptive in recent years including 2016 and in January, March, and April 2017. Visitors used to be able to hike down into the main crater, but increased volcanic activity in 2014–17, resulting in large clouds of volcanic ash, led to the closure of the surrounding Turrialba Volcano National Park. However, with the eruptions subsiding, the park and access to the volcano reopened on December 4, 2020.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
7260 BCE~6951 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1691 BCE~1381 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1381 BCE~1072 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1072 BCE~763 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?144 BCE~166 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4475~784 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1094~1403 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1713~2022 · 18 eruptions · max VEI 37260 BCE5094 BCE2619 BCE453 BCE1713

Detailed timeline

  1. 2022VEI 1Observed
    2022-07-17 – 2022-07-17
  2. 2021VEI 1Observed
    2021-06-13 – 2021-07-23
  3. 2021VEI 1Observed
    2021-11-03 – 2022-02-28
  4. 2020VEI 1Observed
    2020-06-18 – 2020-08-24
  5. 2015VEI 3Observed
    2015-03-08 – 2019-10-28
    Cráter Central, Cráter Oeste
  6. 2014VEI 2Observed
    2014-10-29 – 2014-12-08
    West Crater
  7. 2013VEI 1Observed
    2013-05-21 – 2013-06-04
    West Crater
  8. 2012VEI 2Observed
    2012-01-12 – 2012-01-18
    West Crater (SE flank)
  9. 2011VEI 1Observed
    2011-01-14 – 2011-01-14
    West Crater
  10. 2010VEI 2Observed
    2010-01-05 – 2010-03-07
    SW crater
  11. 2010VEI 2Observed
    2010-07-24 – 2010-08-15
  12. 1866VEI 3Observed
    1866-01 – 1866-05-08
    Central and SW summit craters
  13. 1864VEI 2Observed
    1864-08-17 – 1865-03
    Central and SW summit craters
  14. 1861VEI ?Geological estimate
    1861 – Ongoing
  15. 1855VEI 2Observed
    1855-05 – Ongoing
  16. 1853VEI 2Observed
    1853 – Ongoing
  17. 1847VEI ?Geological estimate
    1847 – Ongoing
  18. 1723VEI 1Geological estimate
    1723 – Ongoing
  19. 1350VEI ?Geological estimate
    1350 – Ongoing
  20. 640 (±40 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    640 – Ongoing
  21. 40 (±50 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    40 – Ongoing
    Central summit crater
  22. 830 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 830 – Ongoing
  23. 1120 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1120 – Ongoing
  24. 1420 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1420 – Ongoing
  25. 7260 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 7260 – Ongoing
    NE summit crater

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.