Formation Parícutin

1943 eruption @ night

parícutin erupted 1943 1952, unusually long type of volcano, , several eruptive phases. weeks prior, residents of area reported hearing noises similar thunder without clouds in sky. sound consistent deep earthquakes movement of magma. later study indicated eruption preceded 21 earthquakes on 3.2 in intensity starting 5 weeks before eruption. 1 week prior eruption, newspapers reported 25–30 per day. day before eruption, number estimated @ 300.

the eruption began on february 20, 1943, @ 4:00 pm local time. center of activity cornfield near town of parícutin, owned dionisio pulido. during day, , family had been working land, clearing prepare spring planting. ground nearby working swelled upward , formed fissure between 2 , 2.5 meters across. reported heard hissing sounds, , smoke smelled rotten eggs, indicating presence of hydrogen sulfide. within hours, fissure develop small crater.

pulido reported:

at 4 p.m., left wife set fire pile of branches when noticed crack, situated on 1 of knolls of farm, had opened . . . , saw kind of fissure had depth of half meter. set ignite branches again when felt thunder, trees trembled, , turned speak paula; , saw how, in hole, ground swelled , raised 2 or 2.5 meters high, , kind of smoke or fine dust – grey, ashes – began rise in portion of crack had not seen . . . more smoke began rise hiss or whistle, loud , continuous; , there smell of sulfur.

he tried find family , oxen had disappeared rode horse town found family , friends, happy see him alive. volcano grew fast , furiously after this. witness celedonio gutierrez, witnessed eruption on first night reported:

…when night began fall, heard noises surge of sea, , red flames of fire rose darkened sky, rising 800 meters or more air, burst golden marigolds, , rain artificial fire fell ground.

on first day, volcano had begun strombolian pyroclastic activity , within 24 hours, there scorian cone fifty meters high, created ejection of lapilli fragments size of walnut , larger, semi-molten volcanic bombs. end of week, reports had cone between 100 , 150 meters high. after start, valley covered in smoke , ash. nine-year activity of volcano divided 4 stages names come purépecha language. first phase (quitzocho) extended february 22 october 18, 1943, activity concentrated in cracks formed in cuiyusuro valley, forming initial cone. during time, ejected material lapilli , bombs. in march, eruption became more powerful, eruptive columns extended several kilometers. in 4 months, cone reached 200 meters , in 8 months 365 meters. during time period, there lava flow. on june 12, lava began advance towards village of parícutin, forcing evacuations next day. second phase went october 18, 1943 january 8, 1944 , called sapichi, meaning child , referring formation of lateral vent , other openings on north side of cone. ash , bombs continued ejected new vent sent lava towards town of san juan parangaricutiro, forcing permanent evacuation. august, town covered in lava , ash, upper portions of main church still visible. evacuations of parícutin , san juan able accomplished without loss of life due slow movement of lava. these 2 phases lasted on year , account more 90% of total material ejected cone, four-fifths (330 meters) of final height of 424 meters valley floor. sent ash far mexico city.

cinder cone in 1943

the third (taqué-ahuan) lasted january 8, 1944 january 12, 1945 , focuses on formation of series of cracks on south side of cone increase in activity in center. lava flows time extend west , northwest. during period there formation of mesa called los hornitos south.

over next 7 years, volcano became less active, ejection of ash, stone , lava coming sporadically, periods of silence in between. professional geologists pulled out of area in 1948, leaving celedonio gutierrez continue observations. last burst of activity recorded him between january , february 1952. several eruptions occurred in succession , three-kilometer smoke column produced.