Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Pululahua.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Pululahua.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Pululahua.

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

Pululagua

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Chivo, Loma el

Dome

2706 m

0° 2' 14" N

78° 29' 37" W

Marca, Loma la

Dome

3089 m

0° 1' 24" N

78° 27' 23" W

Mirador, Lome El

Dome

3260 m

0° 1' 8" N

78° 29' 29" W

Pondona, Loma

Dome

2988 m

0° 2' 48" N

78° 29' 46" W

Pululahua

Dome

3360 m

0° 2' 5" N

78° 27' 56" W

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

352011

290 CE

3,360 m / 11,024 ft

0.0464°N
78.49°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Caldera

Volcano Types
Caldera
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Dacite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

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

534,403
534,403
1,192,411
3,330,856

Geological Summary

Pululahua is a relatively low, forested volcano about 15 km N of Quito. The 5-km-wide summit caldera is narrowly breached to the west and partially filled by a group of dacitic lava domes. Pre-caldera lava domes of different ages are found outside the caldera to the E, SE, and S. Four post-caldera domes rise up to 450 m above the caldera floor. Large explosive eruptions producing pyroclastic flows took place during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Caldera formation took place during a series of eruptions lasting 150-200 years beginning about 2,650 radiocarbon years ago. The latest dated eruption occurred from the post-caldera lava domes about 1,670 years ago and produced lava flows and pyroclastic flows.

References

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

Andrade D, Molina I, 2006. Pululahua caldera. Fourth Conf Cities on Volcanoes, IAVCEI, Quito, Ecuador, 2006, Excursion A3: 1-11.

Barberi F, Ghigliotti M, Macedonio G, Orellana H, Pareschi M T, Rosi M, 1992. Volcanic hazard assessment of Guagua Pichincha (Ecuador) based on past behavior and numerical models. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 49: 53-68.

Hall M L, 1992. (pers. comm.).

Hall M L, 1977. El Volcanismo en El Ecuador. Quito: Biblioteca Ecuador, 120 p.

Hall M L, Wood C A, 1985. Volcano-tectonic segmentation of the northern Andes. Geology 13:203-207.

Padron E, Hernandez P A, Toulkeridis T, Perez N M, Marrero R, Melian G, Virgili G, Notsu K, 2008. Diffuse CO2 emission rate from Pululahua and the lake-filled Cuicocha calderas, Ecuador. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 176: 163-169.

Papale P, Rosi M, 1993. A case of no-wind plinian fallout at Pululagua caldera (Ecuador): implications for models of clast dispersal. Bull Volcanol, 55: 523-535.

Volentik A C M, Bonadonna C, Connor C B, Connor L J, Rosi M, 2010. Modeling tephra dispersal in absence of wind: Insights from the climactic phase of the 2450 BP Plinian eruption of Pululagua volcano (Ecuador). J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 193: 117-136.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 4 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

0290 (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0290 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome

0450 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

0450 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 9 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Bombs
- - - -	- - - -	Caldera	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
0450 BCE ± 150 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

0690 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 5

Episode 1 | Eruption

0690 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 7 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
- - - -	- - - -	Caldera	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
0690 BCE ± 150 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

4800 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

4800 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Pululahua.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Pululahua.

Photo Gallery

Cerro Sincholagua (left) and Loma la Marca (right) are the southernmost of a group of lava domes at Pululahua volcano. Seen here from the south, they are part of a chain of lava domes that were constructed on a roughly N-S line east of the Pululahua caldera.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).

The flat floor of the 3-km-wide caldera of Pululagua volcano is used for agricultural purposes. This view from the SE caldera rim looks across to Loma El Lavadero on the NE rim, 700 m above the caldera floor. Pululagua's caldera was formed during major explosive eruptions about 2400 years ago that produced plinian airfall deposits, pyroclastic flows, and pyroclastic surges.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).

Pululahua is a relatively low-profile, forested volcano immediately north of the equator, 27 km N of Quito. Loma Pondona (left) and the lower Rumiloma (right center) are two of a group of lava domes that partially fill a 3-km-wide caldera. They are seen here from the SE caldera rim. The caldera was formed during the latest dated eruption about 2,400 years ago. Large explosive eruptions were accompanied by pyroclastic flows during the late Pleistocene and Holocene.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1978 (Smithsonian Institution).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Pululahua 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 Pululahua. 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 Pululahua. 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 Pululahua

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).