On Thursday (March 8, 2018, the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reported at 11 am that the Turrialba Volcano generated seismic activity with ash fall in several communities of the Central Valley (Valle Central), San Pedro, Coronado, Moravia, and Ipís.
The OVSICORI update Friday afternoon sais that the Turrialba seismic activity for the previous 24 hours: “continued relatively low, with the frequent recording of discrete earthquakes type LP (long period) of low amplitude and record of volcanic tremor of short amplitude and duration”.
According to the OVSICORI, the seismic vents are associated with the transfer of fluids (water and gases) and other materials (ash, lava) through cracks and cavities in the colossus.
“The emission of gases, fine aerosols and ash is maintained at a low and moderate flow, with sporadic exhalations from a denser ash plume, after the strombolian eruption that threw many fragments of molten fresh lava (bombs), ash and magmatic gases in the early morning of March 7, 2018. Mild ash fall has been reported in San José, Guadalupe, Moravia, Sabanilla, and Rohmoser. The plume rises around 300 -500 m above the Western Crater and is dispersed by the winds mainly towards the southwest. Continuous light is appreciated at night in the West Crater, which indicates the presence of a considerable flow of gases at high temperatures (600-800 ° C) and overheating of the rocks. n the interior of the crater,” noted the OVSICORI on its Facebook page.
The OVSICORI added that the OMI instruments from NASA’s AURA satellite detected a strong emission of sulfur dioxide gas, SO2, and was dispersed to some extent around the entire volcano, however, the satellite image also reveals that the largest proportion of the materials of the volcanic plume was transported in the atmosphere by the predominant winds to the north and northwest entering even into Nicaragua, in particular the Lake Nicaragua.
Click here for the OSVICORI activity level of Costa Rica’s volcanos.
