The eruptions originating in the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano between May and June caused a considerable decrease of the crater lake.
Scientists from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), explained through a report that this behavior is due to partial evaporation due to the heat coming from the hydrothermal magmatic system that is under the lake.
The milky turquoise color of the lake indicates vigorous vents at the bottom of the lake. The level of the surface of the lake relative to the edge of the crater is shown to be quite low due to the recent phreatomagmatic eruptions of May and June 2017,”
said the scientific entity.
The most important eruption occurred on May 23rd. Geoffroy Avard, an Ovsicori volcanologist, explained that this event revealed magma was near the surface.
The material fell in the form of lahars by the nearest rivers. Although the percentage of magmatic material found was negligible, it is the first time that scientists confirm the suspicion of the proximity to the surface.
OVISCORI clarified that in the last weeks there are no significant events reported. However, they confirmed the existence of underwater fumaroles.