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| Calbuco (2015 eruption) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Calbuco |
| Caption | Calbuco volcano, southern Chile |
| Elevation m | 2015 |
| Location | Los Lagos Region, Chile |
| Range | Andes |
| Type | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | April 2015 |
Calbuco (2015 eruption) was a sudden explosive eruption of the Calbuco stratovolcano in the Los Lagos Region of southern Chile that began in April 2015. The event produced powerful ash plumes that affected nearby towns, disrupted regional transport, and generated international concern among agencies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization, World Meteorological Organization, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and national services including the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería and the Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura.
Calbuco is part of the southern Andes volcanic belt and lies near the Reloncaví Estuary and the Llanquihue Province, close to cities such as Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas. The volcano is within the historical sphere of the Mapuche and Huilliche peoples and has been watched by institutions including the Observatorio Volcanológico de los Andes del Sur and the Instituto Nacional de Prevención Sísmica. Prior to 2015, Calbuco had a history of eruptions recorded in the 19th and 20th centuries, and its activity was considered intermittent by agencies such as the United States Geological Survey, the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN), and the Global Volcanism Program at the Smithsonian Institution.
The eruption sequence began with increased seismicity detected by regional networks operated by SERNAGEOMIN and international collaborations involving the Boston College volcanology group and researchers affiliated with the University of Chile. On 22 April 2015 a major explosive phase sent an ash column into the troposphere and lower stratosphere, prompting alerts from the Aviation Color Code system used by the ICAO and national aviation authorities including Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil of Chile. Multiple eruptive pulses occurred over succeeding days, with satellite overpasses by MODIS sensors, observations by the NOAA and European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and plume tracking by the World Meteorological Organization-affiliated ash advisory centers.
Calbuco erupted andesitic to dacitic magma typical of many southern Andean stratovolcanoes studied by teams from the University of Concepción, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and the University of Buenos Aires. The eruption produced pyroclastic density currents, ballistic ejecta, and fine ash particles sampled by volcanologists from the Smithsonian Institution and analysed at laboratories such as the Instituto de Geología of the Universidad Austral de Chile. Geochemical signatures showed silica-rich compositions similar to eruptions documented at Villarrica, Llaima, and Chaitén, and tephra dispersal patterns were modelled using tools employed by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center network and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge.
The eruption forced evacuations ordered by the regional authorities of Los Lagos Region and municipal offices in Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, involving coordination with the Carabineros de Chile, the Concertación-era civil defense frameworks, and emergency units linked to the Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad Pública. Tens of thousands of residents from rural communities such as Ensenada and Río Negro experienced ash fall that impacted livestock, aquaculture operations associated with companies monitored by the Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura, and infrastructure overseen by the Dirección de Vialidad. Humanitarian responses included deployments by the Chilean Army engineering units, relief aid coordinated with branches of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross and regional chapters of the Caritas network.
Airspace closures affected flights operated by carriers such as LATAM Airlines, Sky Airline, and international operators routing to Santiago and Antarctic gateways like Punta Arenas. The Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre issued advisories interpreted by the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Aviation Authority offices in multiple countries. Airlines adjusted operations using contingency planning from the International Civil Aviation Organization and consulted models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to assess plume trajectories and implement rerouting, delays, and cancellations across South America and Antarctic flight corridors.
Scientists from institutions including the Universidad de Chile, Universidad Austral de Chile, Smithsonian Institution, SERNAGEOMIN, and international partners from the United States Geological Survey and the British Antarctic Survey conducted field campaigns to sample tephra, measure sulfur dioxide emissions using instruments from the European Space Agency, and analyze seismic records archived by regional networks. Remote sensing by satellites such as Terra, Aqua, and Sentinel-2 complemented ground-based gas measurements with Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy systems used by teams associated with the Max Planck Institute and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Research published by volcanology groups compared the event to historic eruptions like those at Mount St. Helens and Mount Pinatubo in studies disseminated through collaborations with the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America.
Recovery efforts involved reconstruction overseen by Chilean ministries including the Ministerio de Obras Públicas and public health interventions led by the Ministerio de Salud to address respiratory impacts documented by teams from the World Health Organization and local hospitals such as Hospital Puerto Montt. Environmental assessments by the Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente and research groups from the Centro de Estudios Científicos evaluated effects on fisheries tied to the aquaculture industry and on ecosystems similar to those studied around Chiloé Island and the Reloncaví Sound. Long-term monitoring upgrades were implemented by SERNAGEOMIN and academic partners at the Universidad de Concepción and Pontifical Catholic University of Chile to improve early warning capabilities and resilience in the Los Lagos Region and across the southern Andean volcanic arc.
Category:Volcanic eruptions in Chile Category:2015 natural disasters Category:Los Lagos Region