Popocatepetl volcano

Why in News?

Scientists released the first 3D images of the Popocatepetl volcano's interior, developed using AI and five years of seismic data to map magma accumulation zones.

• Popocatepetl, often referred to as "El Popo," is an active stratovolcano in central Mexico.
• It is one of the world's most active volcano.
• It is the second-highest peak in the country, rising to 5,426 meters (17,802 ft).
• It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Ring of Fire.
• Name - Derived from the Nahuatl words for "Smoking Mountain".
• Geological setting
  • Part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.
  • Lies above a subduction zone where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate.
• History - Popocatépetl emerged in the crater of other volcanoes in its current form more than 20,000 years ago.
• It has been active since 1994, spewing plumes of smoke, gas and ash more or less daily.
• The activity periodically forms a dome over the main vent, which eventually collapses, causing an eruption.
• In the early 20^th century, humans used dynamite to extract sulfur from the crater, provoked an eruption.
• Traditional customs - A bottle of tequila placed near a rocky hollow, known as El Popo’s belly button, reflects the traditional customs associated with the volcano, including an annual pilgrimage.
• Movement underground - Inside an active volcano the rocks, magma, gas and aquifers are moving and it generates seismic signals.
• Monitoring - Its frequent activity is closely monitored due to its proximity to a population of nearly 30 million people.

Reference

The Hindu | Popocatepetl volcano