Sta. Maria-Santiaguito

Viewed from the SE,  Santa Maria is a nearly perfect composite cone. The bump on the north side of Santa Maria is the volcanic dome, Cerro Quemado, that erupted in 1765. It is separate and just north of Santa Maria.  In the middle ground are the domes of Almolonga, a ring of vents that currently has hot spring activity.  The Quetzaltenago basin with its fields of wheat and corn was filled with flat topped ignimbrites during the giant 84,000 bp Los Chocoyos eruption from Atitlan Caldera.

This view, without telephoto, shows an upward convecting column of a small vulcanian style explosion. Clouds mantle Santa Maria..

A telephoto image of Santiaguito, viewed from the south with Santa Maria in the background. Note the scar of the 1902 caldera and that Santiaguito is growing in the center of it. The ash cloud above the dome is the result of a small explosion. Photos by Carr, Nov. 1993.

Santiaquito's El Brujo (the witch) dome erupting in 1967. Time exposure of rockfalls, C.Pineo.