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| Los Humeros | |
|---|---|
| Name | Los Humeros |
| Elevation m | 3450 |
| Location | Puebla, Mexico |
| Range | Sierra Norte de Puebla |
| Type | caldera complex, stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | Holocene |
Los Humeros Los Humeros is a large volcanic caldera complex in the Sierra Norte de Puebla of eastern Mexico, notable for its Quaternary volcanism, geothermal reservoirs, and archaeological context. Situated near the border of Puebla and Veracruz, the complex links regional tectonics associated with the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, the Eje Volcánico Transversal, and the broader interactions between the North American Plate and the Cocos Plate. The area has attracted research from institutions such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the Instituto Nacional de Geofísica y Vulcanología, and international teams studying caldera dynamics, geothermal energy, and prehistoric human occupation.
The complex occupies highlands in the Sierra Norte de Puebla near municipalities like Martínez de la Torre, Huauchinango, and Venustiano Carranza, with access from highways connecting to Puebla (city), Xalapa, and Orizaba. It lies within physiographic provinces including the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and is proximate to hydrological basins draining to the Pánuco River and the Papaloapan River. Neighboring volcanic centers include Las Cumbres, Malinche, and La Malinche National Park, and tectonic lineaments related to the Eje Neovolcánico influence topography and drainage. The region interfaces with protected areas, local ejidos, and settlements historically connected to the Totonac people, Nahuas, and later Spanish Empire colonial administration.
The caldera complex formed through multiple eruptive and collapse events involving silicic magmatism, generating welded tuffs, ignimbrites, and nested calderas. Its evolution parallels other Mexican calderas such as Los Azufres, Popocatépetl, and Parícutin, reflecting subduction-driven magmatism from the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate. Stratigraphic studies correlate units with the Pleistocene and Holocene timeframes familiar from work at Nevado de Toluca and Iztaccíhuatl. Structural mapping identifies ring faults, resurgent domes, and parasitic cones similar to those at Aucanquilcha and Chichinautzin Volcanic Field, while petrology links rhyolitic and andesitic compositions akin to rocks studied at Colima Volcano and Sierra Negra. Geochronology using radiometric methods parallels ages reported at El Chichón and La Malinche.
Eruptive records include large explosive events producing voluminous ignimbrites and smaller dome-building eruptions that produced pumice and obsidian, comparable to historical behavior at Mount St. Helens, Krakatoa, and Mount Vesuvius. Paleovolcanological investigations reference tephra correlations with sequences studied at Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan region stratigraphies. Deposits and geomorphology indicate eruptive episodes during the late Pleistocene to Holocene, with comparisons made to Holocene eruptions at Tutuila and Pinatubo for explosivity and caldera collapse processes. Volcanic hazards relate to pyroclastic flows, ashfall affecting cities like Puebla (city), lahars impacting drainage networks toward Papaloapan River, and possible dome collapse analogues to failures at Soufrière Hills.
Los Humeros hosts high-enthalpy geothermal reservoirs exploited for electricity generation, akin to developments at The Geysers, Los Azufres, and Cerro Prieto. Energy projects involve boreholes, steam fields, and binary plants operated in collaboration with entities such as Comisión Federal de Electricidad and research groups from Instituto de Investigaciones Eléctricas. Exploration integrates geophysics, geochemistry, and reservoir modeling techniques used at Iceland’s Reykjanes and Indonesia’s Wayang Windu projects. Resource development raises considerations similar to those at Coso Volcanic Field and Rotokawa regarding induced seismicity, subsidence, and fluid management.
Vegetation on the complex ranges from montane cloud forest and pine–oak woodlands to agricultural mosaics resembling landscapes around Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre del Sur. Fauna includes species comparable to those found in Bosque de Niebla and Los Tuxtlas, with bird assemblages reminiscent of inventories at El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve and mammals paralleling those in Sierra San Pedro Mártir. Land use involves coffee plantations, subsistence agriculture, and conservation efforts influenced by policies from agencies like the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. Environmental concerns mirror those at Chamela-Cuixmala and Islas Marías regarding habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and water resource pressures.
Archaeological evidence in the surrounding region documents prehispanic occupation by cultures such as the Totonac people, Olmec, and Nahua groups, with settlement patterns comparable to sites like El Tajín, Cempoala, and La Venta. Lithic and obsidian artifacts link to trade networks studied in research on Teotihuacan and Monte Albán, while colonial-era records reference land tenure changes under the Spanish Empire and later reforms during the Porfiriato and the Mexican Revolution. Ethnographic and historical studies involve institutions like the Museo Nacional de Antropología and regional archives in Puebla (city).
Monitoring employs seismology, ground deformation, gas geochemistry, and remote sensing, paralleling protocols used at Popocatépetl, Colima Volcano, and Nevado de Toluca. Hazard assessment integrates mapping of pyroclastic flow pathways and ash distribution with emergency planning coordinated by the Protección Civil (Mexico) framework and local municipal authorities in Puebla (state). Risk mitigation strategies draw on international best practice from responses to events at Mount Pinatubo, Eyjafjallajökull, and Mount St. Helens, emphasizing early warning, land-use planning, and community outreach through universities such as Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla.
Category:Volcanoes of Mexico Category:Calderas