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Geophysical Investigations And Groundwater Modeling Of The Hydrologic Conditions At Masaya Caldera, Nicaragua, Richard Eric Macneil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, has been the site of tremendous Plinian basaltic eruptions. Two eruptions ~6,500 and 2,250 BP formed the 6 kilometer (km) x 11 km, northwest trending Masaya caldera. The present day active Santiago Crater within the caldera is the site of persistent volcano degassing and occasional phreatic explosions. While the mechanism responsible for these phreatic explosions is unclear, one possible explanation is the interaction of groundwater with the shallow magma chamber beneath Masaya. This interaction with meteoric water is supported by the substantial steam discharge from the vent, which is significantly larger than other similar volcanoes in the …