CotoPaxi Volcano - Ecuador seismic status

[Bob]

Cotopaxi Volcano now showing seismic swarms - 5 Mar 2014 - this volcano should be monitored for activity considering its location, and

from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/...39756/Cotopaxi - Britannica's historical on Cotopaxi

"Cotopaxi, volcanic peak, in the Cordillera Central of the Andes, central Ecuador. Rising to 19,347 feet (5,897 m), it is the world’s highest continuously active volcano.

"Cotopaxi has an almost perfectly symmetrical cone, interrupted only by one minor cone—the Cabeza del Inca (“Inca’s Head”).

"The mountain has a long record of violent eruption and has seldom remained quiescent for more than 15 years. The terrain around the mountain’s base has many times been devastated by earthquakes or been buried in pumice and ash blown out of the crater.

"Lava that boils constantly in its crater emits plumes of steam. The mountain itself is built up of alternating flows of dark-coloured trachytic lava and falls of lighter-coloured ash.

"The crater at the top is 2,300 feet (700 m) in diameter from north to south and 1,650 feet (500 m) from east to west. Its depth is 1,200 feet (366 m). The base of the volcano stands on open mountain grassland, but the whole upper part of the mountain is covered with permanent snow."

Following where the magma flow under Ecuador's northern mountains may be moving, after Tungurahua abruptly stopped obvious eruption activity a few days ago, Reventador north northeast of Quito started an increase of activity. That activity continued for a few days, and then volcanic seismic activity picked up at GuaGua Pichincha to the west a bit, but very close to Quito. That diminished and activity started to the southeast of there, with seismic swarms of Cotopaxi.

ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotopaxi - wiki's CotoPaxi data

"Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located about 50 km (31 mi) south of Quito, Ecuador, South America.

"It is the second highest summit in the country, reaching a height of 5,897 m (19,347 ft) and is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. "

"Since 1738, Cotopaxi has erupted more than 50 times, resulting in the creation of numerous valleys formed by lahars (mudflows) around the volcano."

Eruption Danger

Future Cotopaxi eruptions pose a high risk to the local population, their settlements and fields.

The main danger of a huge eruption of Cotopaxi would be the flow of ice from its glacier. If there were to be a very large explosion, it would destroy most of the settlements within the valley in the suburban area of Quito (with a population of more than 2,000,000).

Another city which would be in great danger is Latacunga which is located in the south valley and was destroyed in the 18th century by volcanic activity.

Cotopaxi is about midway between Tungurahua and Reventador volcanoes, both of which have been erupting in February, 2014.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi volcano Ecuador located about 31 miles south of Quito continues to show bumps and mini-swarms of seismic activity - 6 March 2014

We are continuing to watch this volcano to take a look at where the magma flow in the region has been moving towards.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi volcano Ecuador remained stable during the night time period, with slight seismic bumps and small swarms - 7 March 14

Activity started to pick up with some small eruption-like activity as the solar zenith approached.

Spike times were between 1 and 4 seconds, some were longer duration. These spike swarms were starting to present as a few 2 minute long events.

Coronal hole activity on the Sun is sending particles towards the earth.

"Streams of solar wind flowing from these widely-spaced coronal holes could sandwich Earth's magnetic field on March 9-10 - SDO report"

Post update - A couple of 4 minute events occurred today as well as a few shorter 1 minute events.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi continues to have seismic activity 8 March 14

The strength of some of the events is a little bit larger and of longer duration than previous days.

Through the morning we saw up to a 7 minute seismic event, most likely a small eruption. Larger "bumps" were as long as about a minute in length.

About 2115 local time, there was a substantial 2 minute event which resembled an eruption pulse.

Two large coronal holes on the sun are currently earth facing, with the larger of the particle streams expected to bathe the earth the 9th and 10th of March.

[Bob]

1530 local CotoPaxi exhibited a sustained 5 minute seismic event. It continued at a diminished rate for another 4 minutes. 9 March 14

15 minute small amplitude events are happening, 10 minute small amplitude events are happening as well as an occasional sharp seismic bump.

[Bob]

With CotoPaxi, as the day progressed rapid but small duration seismic events proceeded to build - 10 March 14

A 9 minute event about 1900 local occurred.

The solar particle storm from the open corona holes "missed" hitting the earth which was expected to have arrived by the 10th, glanced past, and out into space.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi showed greater seismic event activity today, 11 March 14

Some 1 minute long events have resembled the earlier February Tungurahua seismic events prior to eruption. That does not necessarily mean that there is any eruption possibility, only that the events are resembling other volcanic activity from a volcano further south. Monitor the Geologic site in Ecuador for any warnings or notices.
see: http://www.igepn.edu.ec/volcanes/lista-de-volcanes.html

[Bob]

CotoPaxi had slightly less seismic activity today 12 March 14

A couple 30 sec major peaks were observed, followed by some 3 minute minor rumbles, and a few sharp bursts.

[Bob]

Cotopaxi volcano, Ecuador, 14 March 14 was showing a similar pattern as of the 12th, with slightly diminishing event moments.

small events lasting from 1 minute - 3 minutes were seen, with 30 second spikes of higher intensity.

Post 7 above apparently is showing increased activity corresponding to the storm spike from the x-ray flare that happened on the 11th.

Looks like definitely an "event" occurred shortly before 1600 hrs local today.

[Bob]

Cotopaxi experiences some interesting long duration events. 15 March 14

[Bob]

CotoPaxi seismic activity for 16 Mar 14

The event at about 1030 am local time is tracking with the event at the approximate similar time at Tungurahua volcano towards the south of the volcanic arc chain.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi 17 March 14 - seismic report

SIGNIFICANT - The two large events at shortly after midnite and about 20 minutes later tracked almost exactly with the events at Tungurahua volcano 56 miles to the south. This shows a directly tied in magma system, or a minimum of a potential supervolcano-like eruption (depending on the amount of magma which can void during a massive eruption. There are no solid indications that such and eruption can or will happen, the volcanic prediction science is evolving, so being able to record and monitor these events, and find significant tracking is essential in understanding these mechanisms)

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - 20 Mar 14 the seismic monitors were restored about 1100 am today after having been down since about 1030 am on the 17th.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - volcanic seismic activity 21 March 14

Stable through the night, with a series of small swarms for about 5 minutes near 1100 AM local time.

There was no current tracking of events with any of the other regional Ecuadorian volcanoes at this time.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - seismic and volcanic activity 22 Mar 14

intermittent periods of activity, rock slides, and a few burst events

The EVENT at about 1050AM local time at CotoPaxi tracked the event in the Tunguhura volcano about 56 miles south

The EVENT at about 0805AM local time at CotoPaxi also tracked the event in the Tunguhura volcano .

The events during the previous nite, about 1945 at CotoPaxi tracked the event in the Tunguhura volcano as well.

** this is significant indicating a simultaneous feed system for these volcanoes that are separated by quite some distance.


Here are the two Tunguhura heliograph charts to compare with the above:

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - volcanic and seismic graphics - 23 March 14

The event for CotoPaxi volcano at about 1920 pm tracked with the event at Tungurahua volcano 56 miles to the south, indicating a common feeder system for the volcanoes in this arc formation.

The event for CotoPaxiss volcano at about 1330 local time is tracking the event at Tungurahua volcano. This tracking is significant.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - Ecuador volcanic-seismic activity report 24 March 14

Activity started with the calming down at Reventador's massive event sequence shortly after 0630.. As if the magma moved from the Reventador channel and moved into the CotoPaxi-Tungurahua channel.

Although there was slight correlation (minimal signal on the graphics) with Tungurahua, south of CotoPaxi, there was some activity, but Tungurahu for the most part was very quiet, the brunt of the volcanic activity happening up at Reventador.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - Ecuador - Seismic and Volcanic activity report 25 March 2014

Shortly before 0500 this morning local time CotoPaxi woke up coughing with a sustained 8 minute event followed by at least a 1/2 hour of sporatic events.

Events continues on and off throughout the morning about 1 through 1 1/2 minutes long with rock slide movement indicated as well with what looked like tracking of the Tungurahua volcano further south.

I will post here the Tungurahua volcanic graphics so you can see the tracking sychronicity between the two volcanoes separated by 56 miles apart. That continues to show that there is a common magma system, in essence the makings of a "super-volcano" system exists potentially in this region.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - volcano Ecuador - seismic and volcanic graphics - 26 March 14

There were no significant events through the night and day so far as of this report. Small activity was noted, some slides were present and some tracking with the G. Pichincha volcano.

[Bob]

CotoPaxi - volcano - Ecuador - seismic and volcanic activity - 27 March 14

Last nite shortly before 2200 local time for about 2 hours the volcano had an increasing magmatic rumble which the surge started to subside about 0000 midnite. HOWEVER, shortly after 0230 in the morning, there was a rather large single event, then another smaller event at about 0524 that lasted for about 2 - 3 minutes (peaking for about a minute).. As the clock got closer to 0600 there was another event of between a half minute to a minute, with associated rock slides. At about 0603 local a larger 2-3 minute event occurred.

During the rest of the day up till about 1300 there were small swarms and spikes, a couple of medium scale events near 1100 am. After 1300 a sustained 5 minute low level event chain occurred.

Then close to 1330 a 4 minute long rapid spike chain/event series swarm occurred. At about 1440 a very interesting view of a bubble building up, then "popping" was shown graphically. It reminded me of the volcano blowing smoke rings in the graphic appearance.

All in all, the volcano is active, and unsettled. The patterns at 1440 haven't previously been reported on, so that is significant.