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TEN YEARS BENEATH RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA: SEISMIC AND ERUPTIVE INSIGHTS FROM AN ACTIVE CRATER LAKE

Henriette Bakkar 1, Corentin Caudron1, Finnigan Illsley-Kemp3, Javier F. Pacheco2, Leonardo van der Laat2, Alejandro Rodríguez2, Geoffroy Avard2, Cyril Muller2, Maarten de Moor2, Mauricio M. Mora4, María Martínez2

  • Affiliations: 1Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; 2Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, OVSICORI-UNA, Heredia, Costa Rica; 3Victoria University of Wellington, Wellingotn, New Zealand; 4Escuela Centroamericana de Geología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Thursday 16:30 - 18:30, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 75

  • Programme No: 3.14.9

  • Theme 3 > Session 14

Abstract

The only active volcano in the northern region of Costa Rica, Rincón de la Vieja  is a complex stratovolcano, with 9 cones, one of which is active. The active crater of Rincón de la Vieja has a hot hyper acidic crater lake, with historical records of phreatic, phreatomagmatic and magmatic eruptions. A new eruptive period began in 2011, with the sporadic occurrence of phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions including the generation of 21 hot lahars that have descended the northern flank of the volcano. Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in the magnitude and frequency of eruptions, with the most energetic ones occurring in 2017, 2021, and 2023. We use continuous data from seismic and acoustic records, in addition to eruption records to compile a catalogue of discrete seismic signals (VTs, Tornillos, banded tremors, VLPs). Using complementary datasets (e.g., ground deformation), we shed light into the dynamics of the magmatic-hydrothermal system over the last 10-years, which transitions from a closed system to pulses of conduit opening, until reaching the lowest lake levels recorded in 20-years in May 2024.