Tungurahua

TUNGURAHUA

1. Name of volcano (include one or more pictures).

- TUNGURAHUA

o “Tungurahua”, Quichua tunguri (throat), rahua (fire): "Throat of Fire".

o Summit elevation: 5,023m

2. Geographic location.

Is an active stratovolcano located in the Cordillera Central of Ecuador. The volcano gives name to the province of Tungurahua.

Tungurahua (5,023 m) is located in the Cordillera Central of the Andes of central Ecuador, 140 km (87 miles) south of the capital Quito. Nearby notable mountains are the Chimborazo (6,267 m) and El Altar (5,319 m).

3. Name of nearest city (include nearest major city if small towns are the closest).

- Tungurahua rises above the small thermal spring’s town BaÐ"±os (1,800 m).

- Other nearby towns are Ambato and Riobamba.

- Tungurahua is part of the Sangay National Park.

4. Distance to nearest city.

Nearest city Distance

BaÐ"±os It is located at its foot 5 km to the north.

Ambato 30 km to the northwest.

Riobamba 30 km to the southwest.

5. Population of nearest city.

Nearest city Population / Year

BaÐ"±os 130,000 (2004)

Ambato 169,103 (2003).

Riobamba 140,558 (2003)

6. Dates of most recent eruptions.

Tungurahua Volcano Eruptions

1999-2008, 1944, 1916-25, 1900?, 1886-88, 1885?, 1857, 1781?, 1777?, 1776, 1773, 1757?, 1646?, 1644?, 1641, 1640?, 1557, 1534

7. Type of volcano (shield, cinder cone, composite or strato volcano).

- Stratovolcano (active).

o A stratovolcano, also called a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano composed of many layers of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash. These kinds of volcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions.

8. Composition of the igneous rock or magma (andesitic, basaltic, etc.)

- The source magma of this volcano is classified as acidic, having high to intermediate levels of silica (as in rhyolite, dacite, or andesite).

9. Temperature (if available).

- The measured temperature for the Tungurahua dome material were 974 Ð'oC for the first run and 1,030 Ð'oC for the 10th run, and ~1,060 Ð'oC up to ~1,100 Ð'oC for the bombs.

10. Gas content (high, low, etc.), and give gases if listed.

- Tungurahua presents high levels of gas emissions when is active.

o Gas clouds emitted from fumaroles (volcanic gas vents) or from the sudden overturn of a crater lake may contain suffocating or poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).

11. Types of material ejected (lava, ash, volcanic bombs, etc.)

- Historical eruptions have all originated from the summit crater. They have been accompanied by strong explosions and sometimes by pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached populated areas at the volcano's base.

- In 2008:

o Emissions of steam, gas and ash (February 21, 2008).

o Continuing emission of gas and vapor with low to moderate levels of ash (February 14, 2008).

o Emission of abundant ash (February 10, 2008).

o Emissions of ash and incandescent material from the crater (February 9, 2008).

12. Other events associated with recent eruptions (earthquakes, mudflows, etc.)

- Eruptions in January 2008