Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): pictures of crater, lava dome #52 destroyed

Activity at the volcano has remained low, with small occasional steam, gas and sometimes ash emissions. Incandescence was observed over the crater during the night.

During an overflight on 14 Oct "it was observed that the inner crater, formed in July 2013, has increased its diameter, probably due to the destruction of the dome and walls collapsing, reaching an estimated 350 m diameter. The bottom of the inner crater is about 100 m below the floor of the main crater. No residues were observed of the 52nd dome, which was emplaced in the bottom of the inner crater early last August. Instead, the bottom of the inner crater is cup-shaped and is covered with tephra (fragmented material) Most emissions of steam are coming from a crack in the north wall of the inner crater, while ash emissions, originate in the bottom of the crater, in the area covered by tephra.

The video shows in detail the internal cráter, that is 350 m in diameter and 100 deep (VIDEO) The emission of an intermittent small plume of brown ash can be seen originating from the tephra-covered bottom of the crater, which lasted under one minute. This plume corresponds to the signal detected by teams CENAPRED at 11:38. Some white fumaroles are also observed in the crater wall. These observations confirmed that the explosions occurred in late September and early October destroyed the 52nd dome, and that the activity that the volcano has recently presented continues the cycle of construction and destruction of domes that has characterized the Popocatépetl in the last 20 years." (Source: CENAPRED)