Popocatepetl Volcano

Popocatepetl Volcano
News: The Popocatépetl volcano has been spewing thick plumes of volcanic ash into the sky outside Mexico.

About:
• Origin: Popocatépetl — which means “smoking mountain” in the Aztec Nahuatl 
language — is located in central Mexico roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City. 
• Location: It lies on the border between the states of Puebla and Morelos.
• Elevation: The summit of Popocatepetl stands at an elevation of about 5,426 
meters above sea level, making it the second-highest peak in Mexico after Citlaltepetl (Pico de Orizaba).

Geological Details
• Type of Volcano: Popocatepetl is a stratovolcano (composite volcano) characterized by its steep, conical shape built up by successive layers of volcanic ash, lava flows, and pyroclastic materials.
• Active Volcano: It is one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes, with documented eruptions dating back to the 14th century.
• History of Eruptions: In the modern era, significant eruptions have occurred in 1947, 1994, 2000, 2005, and ongoing activity since 2013.
• Type of Eruption: The volcano’s eruptions are primarily andesitic to dacitic in composition, characterized by the eruption of viscous lava flows and explosive eruptions producing ash clouds, pyroclastic flows, and lahars (mudflows).