Turrialba Volcano
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| Turrialba | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 3,340 m |
| Location | Costa Rica |
| Range | Cordillera Central |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Stratovolcano |
| Age of rock | 1.5 Myr |
| Last eruption | 1866 |
The Turrialba Volcano was named after the region of Costa Rica in which the volcano is situated. There is no clear consensus on the origin of the name Turrialba, but historians disagree with attempts to attribute the name to the patronym Torrealba (from Aragon in Spain) or from the Latin Turris alba (white tower). The general consensus is that Turrialba derives from a local Indian language (Huetar) but there is no agreement on its actual roots.
The stratovolcano is 3,329 meters high and is about 45 minutes from the Atlantic slope town of Turrialba. The summit has three craters, one of which has fumaroles and sulfur pits. Below the summit is a montane rain and cloud forest, with ferns, bromeliads, lichens and mosses. During the 19th century, it explosively erupted several times (1847?, 1853, 1855, 1861?, 1864-1865, 1866), producing pyroclastic flows. The last major eruption was in 1856, but in January 2001, the volcano reported increased activity, displaying strong fumaroles at the central craters.
Turrialba is adjacent to Irazú and both are among Costa Rica's largest volcanoes. It had at least 5 large explosive eruptions in last 3500 years.
[edit] Reference
- Siebert, L. and T. Simkin (2002-). Volcanoes of the World: an Illustrated Catalog of Holocene Volcanoes and their Eruptions. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-3. URL: http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/
[edit] External links
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