Chinameca (also known as El Pacayal) is a
stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and peri ...
in central-eastern
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south ...
. It lies north of
San Miguel volcano and rises over the town of
Chinameca. The volcano is topped by a wide
caldera
A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...
known as Laguna Seca el Pacayal, and a
satellite cone on the west side, Cerro el Limbo, rises higher than the caldera rim.
Fumarole
A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or other rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...
s can be found on the north side, and it has been the site of a
geothermal exploration program.
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]
See also
*List of volcanoes in El Salvador
This is a list of active and extinct volcanoes in El Salvador.
Volcanoes
See also
* Central America Volcanic Arc
* List of volcanoes in Guatemala
* List of volcanoes in Honduras
* List of volcanoes in Nicaragua
References
{{Centra ...
References
Mountains of El Salvador
Volcanoes of El Salvador
Stratovolcanoes of El Salvador
Calderas of Central America
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