Caldera collapse in the Galápagos Islands, 1968

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Abstract

The summit caldera of Isla Fernandina, a large, uninhabited basaltic shield volcano, was further enlarged by 1 to 2 km3 in June 1968. A small quake and large vapor cloud on 11 June were followed 4 hours later by a remarkable volcanic ash cloud and, after another hour, by a major explosion recorded at infrasonic stations throughout the hemisphere. Seismic activity increased to a peak on 19 June, when more than 200 events per day were recorded by a seismograph 140 km away. Several hundred quakes were in the magnitude range 4.0 to 5.4 mb, but few such events were recorded after 23 June. Unusual lightning accompanied the major cloud, and, during the evening of 11 June, distant observers reported red glow and flashes from the area. Fine ash fell that night and much of the next day to distances at least 350 km from the volcano.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Caldera collapse in the Galápagos Islands, 1968
Series title Science
DOI 10.1126/science.169.3944.429
Volume 169
Issue 3944
Year Published 1970
Language English
Publisher AAAS
Publisher location Washington, D.C.
Contributing office(s) Volcano Science Center
Description 9 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Science
First page 429
Last page 437
Country Ecuador
Other Geospatial Gal�pagos Islands;Isla Fernandina
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