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Cerro Azul Volcano | John Seach
Isabela Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
0.90 S, 91.42 W
summit elevation 1690 m
shield volcano
Note: there is a volcanoes called Volcan Azul in Nicaragua, and Cerro Azul in central Chile.
Cerro Azul is the southwestern-most volcano on Isla Isabela in the western Galapagos Islands. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands. The volcano is home to endangered giant tortoises which live near the crater.
2008 Eruption
Cerro Azul erupted on 29th May 2008 after a repose of 10 years. Seismic activity was felt at Porto Villamil at 21:43 hr at the onset of the eruption. A red flow was visible from Porto Villamil, indicating a lava flow. A second eruptive phase emitted lava between 3-11 June. On 4th and 5th of June there was a curtain of fire erupting from a fissure hundreds of metres long. Lava reached a height of 60 m above the fissure.
1998 Eruption
Eruptions began on 15th September 1998. Two new vents were created inside the caldera. A chain of cinder cones formed, with a combined length of approximately 750 m, from which lava erupted and traveled north-northeast, toward the northern caldera wall. Flank activity began on 16th September with a 1 km long fissure forming, and emitting a lava flow which extended 15 km southeast. There was a helicopter rescue of endangered tortoises.
1979 Eruption
The eruption began on 29th January, at an elevation of 300 m on the east flank. The main vent was 6 km E of the caldera center. Eruptions were visible until 4th March.
Further reading
Galetto, Federico, et al. "The 2008 eruptive unrest at Cerro Azul volcano (Galápagos) revealed by InSAR data and a novel method for geodetic modelling." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 125.2 (2020): e2019JB018521.
Naumann, T., Geist, D. and Kurz, M., 2002. Petrology and geochemistry of Volcan Cerro Azul: petrologic diversity among the western Galápagos volcanoes. Journal of Petrology, 43(5), pp.859-883.
Naumann, T. and Geist, D., 2000. Physical volcanology and structural development of Cerro Azul Volcano, Isabela Island, Galápagos: implications for the development of Galápagos-type shield volcanoes. Bulletin of Volcanology, 61(8), pp.497-514.
Cerro Azul Volcano Eruptions
2008, 1998, 1979, 1968?, 1959, 1951, 1949?, 1948, 1943, 1940, 1932