Global Volcanism Program

San Martín

Google Earth Placemark with Features

Cite Volcano Profile

Mexico
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Cluster | Volcanic field
1796 CE

Country
Volcanic Region
Landform | Volc Type
Last Known Eruption

18.57°N
95.2°W
1,650 m
5,413 ft
341110

Latitude
Longitude
Summit
Elevation
Volcano
Number

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for San Martín.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for San Martín.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for San Martín.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Synonyms

Tuxtla, Volcán de | San Martín Tuxtla

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Mono Blanco, Cerro

Pyroclastic cone

18° 28' 0" N

95° 8' 0" W

Nixtamalapan, Cerro

Pyroclastic cone

Puntiagudo, Cerro

Pyroclastic cone

18° 27' 0" N

95° 6' 0" W

Vaxin, Cerro

Pyroclastic cone

Vigía, Cerro

Pyroclastic cone

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Crocodrilos, Laguna

Maar

18° 26' 0" N

95° 6' 0" W

Encantada, Laguna

Maar

Nixtamalapan, Laguna

Maar

18° 26' 0" N

95° 6' 0" W

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

341110

1796 CE

1,650 m / 5,413 ft

18.57°N
95.2°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Cluster

Volcano Types
Volcanic field
Shield
Pyroclastic cone(s)
Maar(s)

Rock Types

Major
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

280
3,581
259,640
1,645,811

Geological Summary

Volcán de San Martín, part of the Tuxtla volcanic field, is a broad alkaline shield volcano that rises above the Gulf of Mexico. The massive volcano, also known as San Martín Tuxtla, is elongated NW-SE and is capped by a 1-km-wide summit crater. The upper part of the volcano is covered with dense tropical rain forests. The summit and flanks contain more than 250 pyroclastic cones and maars. Well-preserved cinder cones are abundant between the summit and Laguna Catemaco on the SE flank. Holocene cones in this area produced ash deposits that buried stone pyramids. The two largest recorded eruptions took place in 1664 and 1793. The 1793 eruption occurred from two cinder cones in the summit crater and produced widespread ashfall and lava flows that extended 3.5 km down the NE flank.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Espindola J M, Zamora-Camacho A, Godinez M L, Schaaf P, Rodríguez S R, 2010. The 1793 eruption of San Martin Tuxtla volcano, Veracruz, Mexico. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 197: 188-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.08.005

Mooser F, Meyer-Abich H, McBirney A R, 1958. Central America. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 6: 1-146.

Nelson S A, 1990. Volcanic hazards in Mexico--a summary. Univ Nac Auton Mexico Inst Geol, Rev, 9: 71-81.

Nelson S A, Gonzalez-Caver E, 1992. Geology and K-Ar dating of the Tuxtla volcanic field, Veracruz, Mexico. Bull Volcanol, 55: 85-96.

Nelson S A, Gonzalez-Caver E, Kyser T K, 1995. Constraints on the origin of alkaline and calc-alkaline magmas from the Tuxtla volcanic field, Veracruz, Mexico. Contr Mineral Petr, 122: 191-211.

Reinhardt B K, 1991. Volcanology of the younger volcanic sequence and volcanic hazards study of the Tuxtla volcanic field, Veracruz, Mexico. Unpublished Master's thesis, Tulane Univ, 147 p.

Verma S P, Salazar V A, Negendank J F W, Milan M, Navarro L I, Besch T, 1993. Caracteristicas petrograficas y geoquimicas de elementos mayores del Campo Volcanico de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Translated Title: Petrography and geochemistry of the major elements in Los Tuxtlas volcanic field, Veracruz, Mexico. Geof Internac, 32: 237-248.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 12 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1932 Dec 31 ± 365 days ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 \| Eruption
1932 Dec 31 ± 365 days - Unknown				Evidence from Unknown

[ 1838 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 \| Eruption
1838 - Unknown				Evidence from Unknown

[ 1797 - 1805 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1797 - 1805

Evidence from Unknown

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	1797	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1794 May - 1796 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption

1794 May - 1796

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow	Uncertain
- - - -	- - - -	Crater	Summit. Small.
1794 May	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1793 Mar 2 - 1793 Dec Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

Cinder cones in summit crater

1793 Mar 2 - 1793 Dec

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 12 Events for Episode 1 at Cinder cones in summit crater

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Phreatomagmatic
- - - -	- - - -	Lava fountains
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Flames
- - - -	- - - -	Lightning
- - - -	- - - -	Earthquakes (undefined)
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
1793 Mar 2	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1664 Jan 15 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3

Episode 1 | Eruption

SE flank

1664 Jan 15 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 6 Events for Episode 1 at SE flank

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Flames
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
1664 Jan 15 (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1534 (?) ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1534 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Unknown

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	Uncertain
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage	Uncertain
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations	Uncertain

0890 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0890 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli

0480 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0480 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli

0380 ± 75 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

South flank

0380 ± 75 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at South flank

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0120 ± 200 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

South flank (Cerro Puntiagudo)

0120 ± 200 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at South flank (Cerro Puntiagudo)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
- - - -	- - - -	Scoria

0150 BCE ± 300 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

South flank

0150 BCE ± 300 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at South flank

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Ash

0750 BCE ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0750 BCE ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli

1320 BCE ± 300 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

South flank (Cerro Mono Blanco)

1320 BCE ± 300 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at South flank (Cerro Mono Blanco)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations

2130 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

2130 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli

3440 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

3440 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for San Martín.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for San Martín.

Photo Gallery

Volcán San Martín Tuxtla is a large edifice in the NE part of the basaltic Los Tuxtlas Volcanic Field on the coast of the Gulf of México. The summit and flanks contain more than 250 cones and maars. Two large eruptions took place in 1664 and 1793. The 1793 eruption occurred from two scoria cones in the 1-km-wide summit crater and produced widespread ashfall and lava flows that extended 3.5 km down the NE flank.

Photo by Steve Nelson, 1986 (Tulane University).

A large eruption of San Martín Tuxtla volcano took place in 1793. This drawing shows Strombolian explosions ejecting ash and incandescent bombs from a cone within the summit crater, with the Gulf of Mexico in the background. The eruption began on 2 March and lasted until December. Periodic strong eruptions occurred from two scoria cones that grew within the 1-km-wide summit crater. Lava flowed through a notch in the rim of the summit crater for 3.5 km down the northern flank.

Drawing from Archivo General de la Nación (México), courtesy of Larry Feldman.

An aerial view from the SE shows cones on the flank of the massive San Martín Tuxtla volcano. More than 250 cones and maars are found on the flanks, mostly along a 40-km-long NW-trending zone parallel to the elongation of the edifice. Many clusters of cones are aligned in this same direction.

Photo by Hugo Delgado-Granados, 1997 (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for San Martín in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of San Martín. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of San Martín. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of San Martín

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).