Large ash plume drifting from Copahue volcano, Chile/Argentina

Satellite image taken on November 22, 2012 shows a large ash plume drifting 110 KM SE from Copahue volcano on Chile-Argentina border. Ash fall has been reported in Loncopue village in Argentina, 50 KM SE of the volcano.

It is apparently still a ‘small’ eruption, but the Alert Level for the volcano has been raised from green to orange. (VolcanoDiscovery)

Volcán Copahue is an elongated composite cone constructed along the Chile-Argentina border within the 6.5 x 8.5 km wide Trapa-Trapa caldera that formed between 0.6 and 0.4 million years ago near the NW margin of the 20 x 15 km Pliocene Caviahue (Del Agrio) caldera. The eastern summit crater, part of a 2-km-long, ENE-WSW line of nine craters, contains a briny, acidic 300-m-wide crater lake (also referred to as El Agrio or Del Agrio) and displays intense fumarolic activity.

Acidic hot springs occur below the eastern outlet of the crater lake, contributing to the acidity of the Río Agrio, and another geothermal zone is located within Caviahue caldera about 7 km NE of the summit. Infrequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded at Copahue since the 18th century. Twentieth-century eruptions from the crater lake have ejected pyroclastic rocks and chilled liquid sulfur fragments. (GVP)

The volcano’s last confirmed eruption was in 2000, although one report stated eruptions in 2001 as well.

Featured image: Mono Andes