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Sudden eruption of Wolf volcano after 33 years of sleep, Galapagos Islands

sudden-eruption-of-wolf-volcano-after-33-years-of-sleep-galapagos-islands

Ecuador's Galapagos National Park administration reports Wolf volcano began spewing fire, smoke and lava early Monday, May 25, 2015. 

Washington VAAC first reported the possible eruption at 08:00 UTC.

Their Volcanic Ash Advisory issued 12:35 UTC said volcanic ash is reaching an altitude of 14 km (45 000 feet), and is extending 250 km (155 miles) to the S of the summit, while volcanic ash to 15.24 km (50 000 feet) extends 250 km ENE of the summit.

Wolf volcano lies on the northern tip of the uninhabited Isabela Island, the largest in the archipelago and this is its first eruption since August/September 1982.

AP reports the eruption is threatening a fragile ecosystem that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Authorities say lava flowing in the southwest direction for now poses no risk to the world's only population of pink iguanas, which live on the island's northwest tip.

Image credit: Washington VAAC.

Geologic summary

Wolf, the highest volcano of the Galápagos Islands, straddles the equator at the north end of the archipelago's largest island, Isabela. The 1710-m-high edifice has steeper slopes than most other Isabela volcanoes, reaching angles up to 35 degrees. A 6 x 7 km caldera, at 700 m one of the deepest of the Galápagos Islands, is located at the summit. A prominent bench on the west side of the caldera rises 450 above the caldera floor, much of which is covered by a lava flow erupted in 1982.

Radial fissures concentrated along diffuse rift zones extend down the north, NW, and SE flanks, and submarine vents lie beyond the north and NW fissures. Similar unvegetated flows originating from a circumferential chain of spatter and scoria cones on the eastern caldera rim drape the forested flanks to the sea. The proportion of aa lava flows at Volcán Wolf exceeds that of other Galápagos volcanoes. An eruption in in 1797 was the first documented historical eruption in the Galápagos Islands. (GVP)

Featured image: Wolf volcano eruption on May 25, 2015.

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5 Comments

  1. Jan, not just volcanos.
    Earth is having a fit, earthquakes, terrible weather, mid-west US underwater in the south,
    about 2 monthes ago or less, the Space Weather Prediction Center had an emergency meeting because of a large CME from the Sun.

    These are facts, not made up stories from the crazyend of the world, UFO people on the net and YouTube.

  2. Me and my family have been anchored there in 1983 on our circumnavigation with our sailing yacht LINDA.
    We still have a glass of pumice in one of our shelf’s we collected from the ocean there.
    greetings Lothar Schwarz

  3. I’ve been watching volcanoes like a hawk these last few months (it used to be earthquakes). I’m astounded to read how often they’re erupting. what’s going on?

    I’m dedicated to earth sciences and my favorite medium is The Watchers

    1. Yeah, you should follow them both and more to connect all the dots, the cycles, what’s normal and what’s not… The process is rather enjoyable, isn’t it?

      Phil made a great comment earlier… below is repost:

      “Jan, not just volcanos.
      Earth is having a fit, earthquakes, terrible weather, mid-west US underwater in the south,
      about 2 monthes ago or less, the Space Weather Prediction Center had an emergency meeting because of a large CME from the Sun.

      These are facts, not made up stories from the crazyend of the world, UFO people on the net and YouTube.”

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