Ecuador – Use of thermographic methods to monitor volcanic activity in Ecuador

Country / Region: Ecuador / America
Focus: Geo hazards

Begin of project: August 6, 2002

End of project: January 31, 2007

Status of project: November 9, 2009

Glacier-covered volcano located at the equator. Here is the crater of Cotopaxi at Quito, Ecuador, towering 5897 meters above sea level. This photo was taken with a thermal camera using thermographic methods as a way of detecting and analyzing active areas of the volcano to help prevent catastrophes Source: BGR

Ecuador is one of the areas with the strongest seismic and volcanic activity on the American continent. The danger to the population from natural catastrophes caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions is very great and exists predominantly in the densely populated area of the Andean high valley, also where the capital city of Quito is located. Over half of the entire population of Ecuador lives in this area.

A latent danger emanates primarily from the large number of volcanoes located on both sides of the densely populated high-lying valley of Quito and which extends all the way to the south of Riobamba. Among these volcanoes is glacier-covered Cotopaxi, estimated to be one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes.

As a general rule, ice-covered volcanoes represent a particular threat since they release such large quantities of water when they erupt or heat up. This water shoots into the valley in the form of mudflows - so called lahars. An event such as this took at least 30,000 human lives in Colombia in 1985 at “Nevado del Ruíz”.

Increased volcanic activity including ash rain and gas eruptions have been observed since 1999 in the volcanoes Guagua Pichincha at Quito and Tungurahua at Ambato. Other “sleeping” volcanoes are continually displaying signs of minor eruptions.

The “Instituto Geofísico” of the “Escuela Politécnica Nacional” is responsible for monitoring volcanic activity in Ecuador. Up to now, this monitoring was done only by long-term surveillance using a seismographic network. It was determined that the seismic activity in the area of the volcano Cotopaxi had been increasing since November 2001 from about 10 measured quakes daily up to over 120 quakes daily within a timeframe of only a few days  and with a strength of up to 2.5 on the Richter scale. This activity is considered to be a very significant indicator for increased volcanic activity in the mountain.

Partner:

Escuela Politécnica Nacional / Instituto Geofisico