Popocatépetl is one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes. During the mountain’s current period of eruption, ongoing since 2005, volcanic emissions frequently billow from its summit crater. In spring 2023, striking plumes were captured in images acquired by satellites and astronauts, both orbiting hundreds of kilometers above Earth’s surface.
The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 acquired this image on April 14, 2023. Monitoring systems on that day detected water vapor, volcanic gases and ash, according to Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED).
Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
