Concepcion (Nicaragua)

Status Normal Eruption 2011 1700m
Stratovolcano (Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km))

Volcán Concepción is one of Nicaragua's highest and most active volcanoes. The symmetrical basaltic-to-dacitic stratovolcano forms the NW half of the dumbbell-shaped island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua and is connected to neighboring Madera volcano by a narrow isthmus. A steep-walled summit crater is 250 m deep and has a higher western rim. N-S-trending fractures on the flanks have produced chains of spatter cones, cinder cones, lava domes, and maars located on the NW, NE, SE, and southern sides extending in some cases down to Lake Nicaragua. Concepción was constructed above a basement of lake sediments, and the modern cone grew above a largely buried caldera, a small remnant of which forms a break in slope about halfway up the N flank. Frequent explosive eruptions during the past half century have increased the height of the summit significantly above that shown on current topographic maps and have kept the upper part of the volcano unvegetated.

Volcán Concepción is one of Nicaragua's highest volcanoes and is also one of its most active. The symmetrical volcano, seen here from the SE from the isthmus connecting it to Madera volcano, forms the NW half of the dumbbell-shaped island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. N-S-trending fractures cutting across the volcano are associated with spatter cones, cinder cones, and maars on the flanks. Concepción has had frequent moderate explosive eruptions in the past century, most of which have originated from a small summit crater.

Photo by Jaime Incer.

Last updated 2019-08-04 00:28:03