Planchón-Peteroa activity: a new bulletin from SERNAGEOMIN

Planchón-Peteroa: aerial view towards the east, showing the arrangement of the craters, the currently active south-western crater and deposits of ash on the icecap and snow. SERNAGEOMIN image, taken on 7 September 2010.

The Chilean state geological service SERNAGEOMIN has issued a new bulletin today on the activity at Planchón-Peteroa, reporting the outcome of an overflight of the volcanic complex which took place yesterday:

On the basis of the overflight of the area of the Planchón-Peteroa volcanic complex carried out on 7 September by SERNAGEOMIN personnel it can be concluded that Planchón volcano is maintaining eruptive activity with weak explosions, possibly of phreatomagmatic origin, similar to minor phases of the eruption recorded in 1991.

The currently active crater is the south-western, which has for several years usually shown persistent fumarolic activity.

The current eruptive activity shows local accumulations of ash in the area within 10 km of the volcano and no alterations have been observed in the glaciers of the volcanic complex.

The activity is described as consisting of ‘discrete pulses of gases and fine ash with a frequency of between 40 and 60 seconds’. These emissions create a ‘weak eruptive column of grey colour’ rising up to 200 metres above the crater, which then disperses towards Argentine territory, to the east of the volcano. The current activity at Planchón-Peteroa, according to SERNAGEOMIN, does not present a hazard to the local population, but continuous monitoring of the volcano will be carried out for as long as the activity continues. Planchón-Peteroa is currently at ‘alert level 4 Yellow’.

Planchón-Peteroa: aerial view towards the south-east, showing the western flank of the Planchón (north)-Peteroa (south) volcanic complex, with prominent ash deposits on the icecap and snow. SERNAGEOMIN image, taken on 7 September 2010.

Planchón-Peteroa: aerial view towards the east, showing the low altitude of the eruption column and the plume dispersing towards the east-south-east, over Argentine territory. SERNAGEOMIN image, taken on 7 September 2010.

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Planchón-Peteroa – summary information for Planchón-Peteroa (1507-04=)