Snow and Ice-Related Hazards, Risks, and Disasters

Snow and Ice-Related Hazards, Risks, and Disasters

Hazards and Disasters Series
2015, Pages 607-646
Snow and Ice-Related Hazards, Risks, and Disasters

Chapter 17 - Hazards at Ice-Clad Volcanoes: Phenomena, Processes, and Examples From Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile

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Abstract

The interaction of volcanic activity with snow and ice bodies can cause serious hazards and risks. These interactions relate to enhanced heat flow, tephra in contact with the ice and snow resulting in the alteration of surficial ablation, and interaction with pyroclastic flows and incandescent materials. Such interactions can result in the formation of differential ablation, in tephra remobilization and, especially, in the generation of sometimes far-reaching lahars. Disasters resulted from recent events at Mount St Helens (1980–1986) and Nevado del Ruiz (1985) illustrate the impact these interactions can have. Case studies from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile are described. These descriptions depict the way in which the volcanic activity has interacted with ice bodies in recent volcanic crises (Popocatépetl, Mexico; Nevado del Huila, Colombia; Llaima and Villarica, Chile) and how the lahar processes have been generated. Reconstruction of historical events (Cotopaxi, Ecuador) or interpretation of events from the geological remains (Citlatépetl, Mexico) help to document past events that today could be disastrous for people and infrastructure now existing at the corresponding sites. A primary challenge for hazard prevention and risk reduction is the difficulty of making decisions based on imperfect information and a large degree of uncertainty. Successful assessments have resulted in the protection of lives in recent cases such as that at Nevado del Huila (Colombia).

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