Rincón de la Vieja Volcano
Encyclopedia
Rincón de la Vieja is an active andesitic
complex volcano
in north-western Costa Rica
, about 25 km from Liberia
, in the province of Guanacaste
. Its name means "The Old Woman's Corner", a reference to a local legend about a girl whose lover was thrown into the crater by her father; she became a recluse living on the mountain, and was credited with powers of healing.
Rincón de la Vieja stands 1916 metres (6,286 ft) above sea level
, and its summit is the highest point in Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
. It erupted most recently in February 1998. The volcano has a large number of fumarole
s and hot springs
on its slopes. It is formed by felsic lava.
Rincón de la Vieja is one of six active Costa Rican volcanoes: the others are Poás
, Irazú
, Miravalles
, Orosí
, and Turrialba
.
Little is known about Rincón de la Vieja's early eruptive history. It lies within a larger caldera
, which indicates that a very large eruption probably occurred thousands of years ago. Analysis of nearby pyroclastic flow
deposits shows that they were erupted in a moderately large eruption about 3500 years ago, and the first recorded eruption of the volcano took place in 1765.
Since then, many minor eruptions have occurred, the most recent in 1998. They have mostly occurred at a crater near Von Seebach peak, and have been characterised by strombolian and vulcanian
activity in which eruptions are confined to the crater, and ash is erupted to moderate heights. The active crater is currently filled with a hot, acidic crater lake
.
, drilling has so far been limited to test wells. Further drilling will require approval after studies of the likely environmental impact.
, birdwatching
, geology
and other interests are available.
As of September 22nd, 2011, access to the crater is no longer available due to the eruption of September 16th where volcanic ash and mud rose over 120 feet from the regular crater lagoon.
Several lodges, resorts and hotels in the area offer hiking, forest canopy tours, horseback riding, river-rafting, all-terrain-vehicle riding and wall-climbing.
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
complex volcano
Complex volcano
A complex volcano, also called a compound volcano, is a volcano with more than one feature. They form because changes of their eruptive characteristics or the location of multiple vents in an area...
in north-western Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, about 25 km from Liberia
Liberia, Costa Rica
Liberia is the capital and largest city of Guanacaste province, Costa Rica, located northwest of the national capital, San José.-Summary:With more than 35,000 inhabitants, Liberia is the regional hub of the Costa Rican northwest. The city center features a modern church, as many Costa Rican towns...
, in the province of Guanacaste
Guanacaste Province
Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern part of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. To the north it borders Nicaragua. To the east is the Alajuela Province, and to the southeast is the Puntarenas Province. It is the most sparsely populated of all the...
. Its name means "The Old Woman's Corner", a reference to a local legend about a girl whose lover was thrown into the crater by her father; she became a recluse living on the mountain, and was credited with powers of healing.
Rincón de la Vieja stands 1916 metres (6,286 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, and its summit is the highest point in Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, in Spanish , part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, is a National Park in the northwestern part of Costa Rica which encompasses the Rincón de la Vieja and Santa María volcanoes, as well as the...
. It erupted most recently in February 1998. The volcano has a large number of fumarole
Fumarole
A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
s and hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
on its slopes. It is formed by felsic lava.
Rincón de la Vieja is one of six active Costa Rican volcanoes: the others are Poás
Poás Volcano
The Poás Volcano, in Spanish Volcán Poás, is an active stratovolcano in central Costa Rica. Poás has erupted 39 times since 1828.- Crater lakes :...
, Irazú
Irazú Volcano
The Irazú Volcano is an active volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the Cordillera Central close to the city of Cartago.The name could come from either the combination of "ara" and "tzu" or a corruption of Iztarú, which was the name of an indigenous village on the flanks of the volcano...
, Miravalles
Miravalles Volcano
The Miravalles Volcano is an andesitic stratovolcano in Costa Rica. The caldera was formed during several major explosive eruptions that produced voluminous dacitic-rhyolitic pyroclastic flows between about 1.5 and 0.6 million years ago. The only reported historical eruptive activity was a...
, Orosí
Orosí Volcano
The Orosí Volcano, in Spanish the , is an inactive volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the Cordillera de Guanacaste near the border with Nicaragua...
, and Turrialba
Turrialba Volcano
Turrialba Volcano was named after the region of Costa Rica in which the volcano is situated in Turrialba County, Cartago of Costa Rica. There is no clear consensus on the origin of the name Turrialba, but historians disagree with attempts to attribute the name to the patronym Torrealba or from...
.
Geology
Rincón de la Vieja is a ridge-shaped massif, with several volcanic vents lying along a northwest-southeast axis. Several craters and peaks exist, with Santa María peak being the highest at 1916m above sea level. Von Seebach peak, 1895m above sea level, has been the site of most historical eruptions.Little is known about Rincón de la Vieja's early eruptive history. It lies within a larger caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
, which indicates that a very large eruption probably occurred thousands of years ago. Analysis of nearby pyroclastic flow
Pyroclastic flow
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas and rock , which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h . The flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill, or spread laterally under gravity...
deposits shows that they were erupted in a moderately large eruption about 3500 years ago, and the first recorded eruption of the volcano took place in 1765.
Since then, many minor eruptions have occurred, the most recent in 1998. They have mostly occurred at a crater near Von Seebach peak, and have been characterised by strombolian and vulcanian
Vulcanian eruption
The term Vulcanian was first used by Giuseppe Mercalli, witnessing the 1888-1890 eruptions on the island of Vulcano. His description of the eruption style is now used all over the world for eruptions characterised by a dense cloud of ash-laden gas exploding from the crater and rising high above the...
activity in which eruptions are confined to the crater, and ash is erupted to moderate heights. The active crater is currently filled with a hot, acidic crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
.
Geothermal energy
Large number of hot pools and areas of bubbling mud are found in two areas on the slopes of the volcano, indicating substantial reserves of geothermal energy. Investigations have been carried out into the feasibility of tapping these reserves, and the volcano is estimated to have a generating potential of 140 megawatts. However, as the area is protected within a national parkNational park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
, drilling has so far been limited to test wells. Further drilling will require approval after studies of the likely environmental impact.
Tourism
Historically, hikers could climb to the crater and guides experienced in wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
, geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and other interests are available.
As of September 22nd, 2011, access to the crater is no longer available due to the eruption of September 16th where volcanic ash and mud rose over 120 feet from the regular crater lagoon.
Several lodges, resorts and hotels in the area offer hiking, forest canopy tours, horseback riding, river-rafting, all-terrain-vehicle riding and wall-climbing.