Smithsonian Institution
Global Volcanism Network Bulletin v. 20, no. 2, February 1995

Popocatepetl (Mexico)  Small ash cone observed in summit crater;
       plume rises 3 km


Popocatepetl
central Mexico
19.02N, 98.62W; summit elev. 5,465 m
All times are local (= GMT - 6 hours)

On the morning of 21 February at 1105, for the first time since
eruptions began on 21 December 1994, Claus Siebe was able to look
into the crater from a helicopter without fumes or ash impeding
visibility. A small crater surrounded by a tuff cone composed of
light-brown to gray silty-sandy ash occupied the site of the former
lake. Judging from the color, he interpreted the loose ash to be
mostly non-juvenile. A plume was emitted from a depression in the
ash cone at 1115 and rose ~3 km above the crater rim. No snow has
fallen in recent weeks, and all the snow and ice in the summit area
was covered by a thin coat of ash.

Information Contact: Claus Siebe, Instituto de Geofisica, UNAM,
Coyoacan, 04510, Mexico DF, Mexico (Email:
csiebe@tonatiuh.igeofcu.unam.mx).