Information and pictures of the volcano Cotopaxi in the Andes Mountains
Cotopaxi (Spanish pronunciation: [kotoˈpaksi]) is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located near Latacunga city of Cotopaxi Province, about 50 km (31 mi) south of Quito, and 31 km (19 mi) northeast of the city of Latacunga, Ecuador.[1] It is the second highest summit in Ecuador, reaching a height of 5,897 m (19,347 ft). Cotopaxi is among the highest active volcanoes in the world.
Cotopaxi is known to have erupted 87 times, resulting in the creation of numerous valleys formed by lahars (mudflows) around the volcano.[2] An ongoing eruption began on 21 October 2022.[3]
At the end of February 2022, the Geophysical Institute of Ecuador reported that Cotopaxi had produced around 8,000 earthquakes since October 21, 2022, amounting to 1,600 events per month.[4]
On a clear day, Cotopaxi is clearly visible on the skyline from Latacunga and Quito.[5] It is part of the chain of volcanoes around the Pacific plate known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. It has an almost symmetrical cone that rises from a highland plain of about 3,800 m (12,470 ft), with a width at its base of about 23 km (14 mi).[6] It has one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world, which starts at the height of 5,000 m (16,400 ft). At its summit, Cotopaxi has an 800 m × 550 m (2,620 ft × 1,800 ft) wide crater which is 250 m (820 ft) deep. The crater consists of two concentric crater rims, the outer one being partly free of snow and irregular in shape. The crater interior is covered with ice cornices and rather flat. The highest point is on the outer rim of the crater on the north side.
A painting by Frederic Edwin Church, 1862.
Higher res versions at the wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotopaxi
= new reply since forum marked as read
Fascinating!
I haven't thought about the Ring of Fire in some time, so this is a most welcome reminder of its existence.
