As of the 28th of October, the Instituto
Geofisico (IG), reports that there has been 1 event of long period, 1 volcano-tectonic
and one signal associated with rock fall was registered in the north part
of the volcano. The Guardian of the Refuge could observe that the fumarolic
activity was moderate. The fumaroles reached 300 m of height and caused
a slight sound that could be listened to from the edge of the volcanic
crater. On the other hand, the scent to sulfur was a little more stop than
the normal thing. The volcano shows small increases in its level of activity
that probably obey partly to a hydrothermal system more saturated due to
rains happened in the last days.
This hydrothermal system interacts as
well with heat surpluses lazy by the last happened explosion the 11 of
October of 2002, and/or small agitations in the magmatic system demonstrated
by means of the occurrence of volcano-tectonic events in last the two weeks.
The activity of last the two weeks indicates that the continuous volcano
showing own signs of an active volcano, which merits a continuous evaluation
and monitoring on the part of the Geophysical Institute. Guagua Pichincha
rises immediately W of Quito, Ecuador's capital city. The broad volcanic
massif is cut by a large horseshoe-shaped summit caldera, ~6 km in diameter
and 600 m deep, that was breached to the W during a slope failure ~50,000
years ago. The official colour of the volcanic alarm light remains on YELLOW.
- Information : I G Quito