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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 20th 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
