The International British Yeoward School
 
 Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Tenerife volcano facts: Teide Volcano in the Canary Islands

Опубликовано: February 13, 2023 в 1:13 am

Автор:

Категории: Miscellaneous

Hazard assessment at Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

NASA/ADS

Hazard assessment at Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

  • Marti, Joan

    • ;

  • Sobradelo, Rosa

    • ;

  • Felpeto, Alicia
Abstract

Mid to long-term hazard assessment is conducted at Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex as a first step to evaluate volcanic risk in Tenerife, a densely populated island that is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Europe. Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcanoes started to grow up in the interior of the Las Cañadas caldera, in the central part of Tenerife, about 190 ka ago, after the formation of the youngest sector of the caldera. Since then they have produced more than 150 km3 of rocks which represent a complete basanite to phonolite series. Eruptive activity at Teide-Pico Viejo complex has been traditionally considered as mostly effusive, but new field data has revealed that explosive activity of phonolitic and basaltic magmas, including plinian and subplinian eruptions and the generation of a wide range of PDCs, has also been significant, particularly during the last 30 ka. Most of the Teide products have been emplaced towards the north, inside the Icod and La Orotava valleys, or at the interior of the caldera, while towards the south the caldera wall has stopped the emplacement of such products from going further. The last eruption from the Teide-Pico Viejo central vents, the Lavas Negras eruption, took place about 1000 years ago, but younger eruptive episodes have occurred along the flanks of these stratovolcanoes. Despite the occurrence of numerous eruptions during the last 30 ka and the existence of unequivocal signs of activity in historical times (fumaroles, seismicity) and, even, a clear unrest episode that started in 2004 and is still ongoing, Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcanoes have not been considered as a major threat by some scientists and also by the local authorities who have dedicated minimum attention to them in the recently approved regional emergency plan. If this view prevails it is obvious that risk mitigation in Tenerife will not succeed. In order to contribute to change that view on the danger potential of Teide-Pico Viejo, and to insist on the need to include these volcanoes in any local and regional risk-based decision-making planning for land use and emergency management, we have conducted a detailed hazard assessment of Teide-Pico Viejo. The aim of this work is to raise awareness towards the degree of threat that Teide-Pico Viejo represents for the island of Tenerife, by means of evaluating the current eruption hazard of the volcanic complex based on a statistical analysis of the time distribution of past eruptions and the spatial extent of some of their products. The analysis of past activity and the extent of some well-identified deposits are used to calculate the recurrence probabilities of eruptions of various sizes during time periods useful to assist the intermediate and long-term land-use and emergency planning. The results indicate that Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcanoes represent a VERY HIGH threat for Tenerife and that the northern side of the island, in particular the Icod Valley, is directly exposed to most of their hazards, so making that region highly vulnerable to any new eruption from Teide-Pico Viejo.

Publication:

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts

Pub Date:
May 2010
Bibcode:

2010EGUGA..12.5774M

The base of the Teide was formed in just 40,000 years — ScienceDaily

A European research team, led by a Spanish scientist, shows for the first time how the Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano on the Canary Islands was formed and how long it took.

Until now there had been several hypotheses about how the depression in the Las Cañadas caldera was formed, in which the Teide (3,718 metres) and Pico Viejo (3,135 metres) volcanoes rose on the island of Tenerife.

A new study confirms that the caldera was formed as a result of a tectonic movement, and most of the Icod valley filling, which is the base of the stratovolcano, was produced in a period of 40,000 years.

“On a geological scale, this is a very short period of time” Vicente Soler, a researcher at the Volcanological Station of the Canary Islands and coordinator of the study that was published in Geomorphology, said. This new dating was possible because scientists have had underground access to the first lava emitted since the movement for the first time.

The team of scientists collected over a hundred samples to find out when the movement occurred, i.e., 180,000 years ago. According to the results, the system responded 160,000 years ago and the new volcano began to form 120,000 years ago.

The ‘hole’ in which the Teide arose

The movement caused a ‘gap’, which is the large depression in the caldera. In the same area of the Canary Island “the Teide volcano grew as a geological response” the researcher stated.

advertisement

During recent decades, the geological cause of this depression has sparked scientific controversy. Until now there were two plausible hypothesis of the origin of these depressions, both for the Cañadas del Teide and for the Güimar and Orotava valleys.

The first hypothesis attributes its formation to a sinking after an eruption that emptied the magma chamber, creating the gap in the caldera. After several investigations, the second hypothesis, that a landslide from the north of the island towards the sea was confirmed as the cause of the depression. The area is now surrounded by vertical walls (except for the upper part) which would be the “scar caused by the big movement,” Soler confirmed.

As time passed, the big dip was filled and formed the Teide, which became the highest peak in Spain as a result of “nature’s fanciful whim,” an eruption “that occurred in the 14th century” the geophysicist forecast.

Dating Canary rocks

The study also tells us how long magma, originally basalt rocks, took to evolve into another type of material. “The age of the rocks has been deduced from their potassium and argon content, as the amount of the two chemical elements is proportional to the time elapsed since they cooled” Soler explained.

Since 120,000 years ago, magma has differentiated over time, giving the Teide area its current characteristics. The biggest differentiation is on Montaña Blanca, where there are pumice stones from an eruption that occurred 2000 years ago.

However, there are other rocks that are typical of the area, such as trachyte and phonolite, which stopped being basalt when they lost iron and their silicon dioxide content increased. Soler commented that the geochemical analysis of rocks tells us about the state of the magma system, what point it is at, and how it evolves.

Excursion “Teide Fantastic Volcano” – 3 reviews, price 180 €

Excursion “Teide Fantastic Volcano” – 3 reviews, price 180 €

Private tour

•

5 hours

See the calendar for dates

3 reviews

Prepayment 23% of the cost

from 180 €

for the tour

Description of the tour

Teide is the symbol of Tenerife and the highest point in Spain, which attracts travelers from all over the world. Not only will you enjoy its incredible landscapes, but you will also hear fascinating stories about the origins of the volcano, films that have been filmed here, and the everyday life of the Canarians. nine0003

What awaits you

The power and beauty of volcanic expanses
The journey will start at the southern slope of the Teide. You will stop in the highest mountainous settlement in Spain – Vilaflor – consider the Canary pine Pinot Gordo and find out why it is the real pride of the archipelago. We continue to go up – and here we are at the largest volcano crater in Europe, Las Cañadas del Teide, from where, in clear weather, you can see the neighboring islands of Gran Canaria, El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma and the sea of ​​clouds! nine0003

The best panoramic spots and breathtaking views
You will visit the most famous viewpoints of Teide: the “Queen’s Shoe”, the “Rock of Beauty”, depicted on the Spanish banknote of 1979, and the “Lunar Landscapes”. Locals joke that it was on it that the landing of the Americans on the moon was filmed. I will reveal the secret of which famous films were actually filmed here. Lunar Landscapes will be our last stop in the Teide National Park, after which we will descend to the west coast via the Chinyero volcano. nine0003

Organizational details

The tour takes place in a comfortable car.

Teide Volcano
Unusual
Automobile

  • Type of excursion: individual by car
  • Group size: up to 8 people
  • Days: see the calendar. Choose a free date when booking.
  • Duration: 5 hours

    • nine0041 Meeting point: Playa de las Américas

  • Start: by agreement
  • Language: Russian
  • Price: €180 for 1-3 persons or €60 per person if you are more than

Free day

Busy day

The schedule is updated every half hour.

Tourist reviews

Kseniia

A wonderful trip to a fantastic place, completely relaxing and interesting throughout the trip! Thanks to Ruslan for the excellent organization and a great trip to such an amazing place full of volcanoes 🙂 Ruslan is a very pleasant guide who knows a lot about the island. Showed us interesting places. Good, comfortable car.

December 26, 2019

Elena

Many thanks to Ruslan for the tour!
Very interesting presentation of information, I just wanted to listen and remember! Such unusual facts about the Volcano, which are even hard to believe!
The volcano is incredible. It’s worth seeing at least once in your life. I have not seen this anywhere!
Insanely beautiful area around the Volcano. It seems empty, but at the same time so unusually “Martian”.
Would love to come back again!
I advise everyone! nine0003

December 20, 2019

Ruslan

Guide in Tenerife

Please note! Found similar excursions from other providers. We recommend comparing price, rating and availability:

Guarantees

Extraguide is a service for searching and booking excursions in 116 countries. There are 15622 excursions in Russian in the catalog from 3182 guides.