Nicaragua ’s Momotombo vent , not far from the metropolis of León , has erupted for the first metre in over a century . This iconic fiery quite a little last feel a major eruptive event in 1905 , but so far , the currently report volcanic action is n’t severe , Wiredreports .
After a serial publication of tremor , wherein shallow magma began to breach through the superimposed rock and make its way to the surface , an telling series of lava fountains and an accompanying , lasting , disconsolate ash plumage one kilometer ( 0.62 mile ) high were seen rocketing above the peak of the vent . Steam jet , produce when groundwater fluids percolate into the liquified Interior Department and explosively enlarge as they heat up , were also spotted by locals prior to the eruption .
Late on Monday nighttime , glow lava and glassy fragments commence to cascade down down its slope ; by Tuesday , things were calmer , although several steam jets were still ascertain emerging from the volcano . Ash has begin to fall on at least six local communities , but so far , it has n’t been important enough to warrant any sort of major evacuation .
Nicaragua ’s Momotombo vent has break through for the first time in 100 yearshttps://t.co/BXNNvF15ASpic.twitter.com/Dv5GPQ7Ltd
— WIRED ( @WIRED)December 2 , 2015
Momotombois a stratovolcano , a eccentric of volcanic formation that often contains highly viscous magma within a two - measure magma sleeping accommodation system : a deep one with more “ primitive ” magma , and a shallower chamber containing more “ evolved , ” cooler magma .
This character of volcano can break through in a multifariousness of ways , from behind - moving lava flows trickling down its flanks , to much more vehement and free burning explosion , induced by a sudden depressurization event . In this case , Momotombo is erupt in a “ Strombolian ” fashion , cite after theSicilian volcanowhich incidentally inspired Tolkien ’s Mount Doom in the " Lord of the Rings " books .
These eruptions are fundamentally the volcanic version of a burping . Large slugs of gaseous state pop at the vent , launching broiling magmatic particles , blocks and bombs into the sky and down onto the hem in landscape painting . Whereas the Strombolian savage that go on at the eponymous volcano are in reality quite predictable – they ’ve materialise every 20 - 30 moment for X now – the behaviour of Momotombo is slightly more chaotic , at least at the present moment .
Nicaragua’s#Momotombovolcano has its first enceinte eruption in 100 yearshttps://t.co/j6eddZL8PGpic.twitter.com/E11eAnZTGy
— Agence France - Presse ( @AFP)December 3 , 2015
Momotombo was farmore violently activebetween 1849 - 1905 , during which 10 incredibly dangerous volatile eruptions occurred . In 1610 , the then - capital of the region , León Viejo , was abandoned due to highly prejudicial earthquakes ; it was slowly buried by persistent , ash tree - spewing volcanic eruptions over sentence .
The volcano had been due for a modest explosive eruption , as seismic earth tremor – point the up move of magma beneath the airfoil – had been on-going since 2003 . At present , it appears that the internal pressure of the vent is being released relatively calmly , and it is therefore unconvincing to become more fierce in the near future .
