Volcanic Eruptions South America
Popocatepetl Volcano
By: Elaina Vlahos
Facts:
Popocatepetl is an active volcano in Mexico. This volcano has been active for about 23,000 years up to today. It is the second largest peak standing at 17, 802 ft. It is part of the Trans-Mexican Volcano Belt. The name means "smoking mountain" in the Aztec language. This volcano is 43 mi away from Mexico City and can be seen really clearly. The top of the peak is so far up that it is covered in snow and ice. The volcano has a steep crater about 600m wide[1].
Popocatepetl is formed over three previous volcanoes that have been destroyed. Its neighboring volcano is the Iztaccihuatl volcano also discovered by the Aztecs and is an active area. Both volcanoes were recorded and climbed by the Tecuanipas tribe and later named by the Aztecs[2]. This is a very active volcanic area.
This is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is one that has a steep appearance and has many layers of ash and hardened lava on it which keeps it growing each eruption. Stratovolcanos have mostly big explosive eruptions every so often. This type of volcanoes is the most common, and they are formed along subduction zones where the oceanic crust is getting pulled into the earth[3]. Popocatepetl is located on the South American plate which is having contact with the Nazca plate next to it. This is what causes the majority of the volcanoes along the South American coastline. The volcano has records of its eruptinos from very long ago that the Aztecs kept.
This is an animation of a Subduction Zone which the Popocatepetl volcano is formed upon
This video shows the volcano erupting and spewing ash and pumice like materials into the sky.
Popocatepetl is located along the Nazca and South American plate boundaries.
Links:
Popocatepetl Volcano Stats:
http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1401-09=
Map:
