San Martin
Volcanic field in Mexico
Key Facts
Elevation
1,650 m (5,413 ft)
Type
Volcanic field
Location
18.570°, -95.200°
Region
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Volcán de San Martín, part of the Tuxtla volcanic field, is a broad alkaline shield volcano that rises above the Gulf of Mexico. The massive volcano, also known as San Martín Tuxtla, is elongated NW-SE and is capped by a 1-km-wide summit crater. The upper part of the volcano is covered with dense tropical rain forests.
The summit and flanks contain more than 250 pyroclastic cones and maars. Well-preserved cinder cones are abundant between the summit and Laguna Catemaco on the SE flank. Holocene cones in this area produced ash deposits that buried stone pyramids.
The two largest recorded eruptions took place in 1664 and 1793. The 1793 eruption occurred from two cinder cones in the summit crater and produced widespread ashfall and lava flows that extended 3. 5 km down the NE flank.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 230 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 341110
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Volcán San Martín Tuxtla is a large edifice in the NE part of the basaltic Los Tuxtlas Volcanic Field on the coast of the Gulf of México. The summit and flanks contain more than 250 cones and maars. Two large eruptions took place in 1664 and 1793. The 1793 eruption occurred from two scoria cones in the 1-km-wide summit crater and produced widespread ashfall and lava flows that extended 3.5 km down the NE flank.
Photo by Steve Nelson, 1986 (Tulane University).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.