Popocate'petl
Popocate'petl is a volcano found in Mexico that I have been following for 3 months. It is the result of a continental-oceanic plate convergence (fig. 1). When the oceanic lithosphere (the Rivera and Cocos plates) collide with the continental lithosphere (the North American plate), the oceanic plate will descend into the subduction zone. Subduction zones generate a lot of igneous magma that rises to the surface to form volcanic mountains. I will discuss the geologic history of Popocate'petl, the subduction of the Cocos and Rivera plates, and the most current eruptions of Popocate'petl. Fig. 1. Oceanic-continental convergence Popocate'petl is a 5,465-meter andesitic stratovolcano that is located 19.02 degrees north and 98.62 degrees west. It is approximately 55 km east of Mexico City and 45 km east of Puebla (Fig. 2). The volcano covers 500 square kilometers and has a 900-meter crater that is 200 meters deep. Popocate'petl means "Smoking Mountain," in the Aztec language of Nahuatl (Dunlap, 1996). It is the second highest peak in Mexico and is one of the country's most volatile volcanoes (Dunlap, 1996).
On December 24, 1997, Popocate'petl erupted, briefly spewing black smoke four miles (7 km) high and sending an explosive blast of glowing rock into the air (Quass-Weppen, 1997). The explosion was relatively intense, but short. Popocate'petl has continued to exhaust ash and gas until the present. "Geophysicists continue to interpret seismic patterns and the National Disaster Prevention Center of Mexico (CENAPRED) maintains alertness in the prevention of future catastrophic episodes. Currently Popocatepetl is scheduled among the most threatening volcanoes in the world" (Dunlap, 1996).
Some common words found in the essay are:
Program Dunlap, February March, History Little, Coccos Rivera, Rogers Popocate'petl, Pacific Rise, Nahuatl Dunlap, February Reyna, Romero October, North American, et al, reyna et al, reyna et, et al 2001, al 2001, dunlap 1996, rivera plates, johnson 1991, siebe et al, siebe et, subduction cocos rivera, airwise 2001, cocos rivera plates, cocos rivera, subduction cocos,
Approximate Word count = 1861
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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