Image of the day
Volcanic activity at the Popocatepétl volcano
Earth Observation | Copernicus
Nature
Volcanoes
Location: Central Mexico
Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
Popocatépetl is a stratovolcano in central Mexico, formed by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate. Its eruptions are predominantly explosive, driven by the build-up of gas pressure in the magma chamber. It is closely monitored due to its proximity to densely populated areas such as Mexico City and La Puebla.
The activity of the Popocatepetl has increased in the past few days. This image was acquired on 10 February by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites and shows a massive ash plume (~ 20 km long) drifting northeast.
The Copernicus Sentinel satellites support the surveillance of volcanoes worldwide, proving particularly adapted to monitoring volcanoes located in remote regions.
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