Quilotoa
Caldera in Ecuador
Key Facts
Elevation
3,914 m (12,841 ft)
Type
Caldera
Location
-0.859°, -78.904°
Region
Northern Andean Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Dacite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
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Overview
Quilotoa is a truncated, dacitic cone in the Western Cordillera of Ecuador, 35 km WNW of the city of Latacunga, that contains a 3-km-wide caldera with steep-sided walls that rise 400 m above the surface of 240-m-deep caldera lake. Multiple lava domes are present along the caldera's perimeter. This small volcano has produced eight major explosive eruptions during the past 200,000 years.
Its most recent major eruption about 800 radiocarbon years ago produced voluminous pyroclastic flows, lahars that reached the Pacific Ocean, and one of the largest airfall-tephra deposits of the northern Andes. Formation of the caldera was followed by extrusion of a small lava dome. Reports of observed eruptions from the caldera lake are somewhat ambiguous.
Fumaroles are present on the lake floor and hot springs occur on the E flank.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows and surges
- Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
- Ash fall and tephra deposits
- Lahars and debris flows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 746 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in South America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 352060
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Quilotoa is a truncated, forested dacitic cone containing a steep-walled, 3-km-wide caldera filled by a 250-m-deep lake. Lava domes form the caldera's perimeter and occupy its floor. Its most recent large eruption about 800 years ago produced voluminous pyroclastic flows, lahars that reached the Pacific Ocean, and one of the largest airfall-tephra deposits of the northern Andes. Reports of historical eruptions from the caldera lake are somewhat ambiguous. Fumaroles are present on the lake floor and hot springs occur on the eastern flank.
Photo by Minard Hall, 1973 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.