The extraordinary sulfur volcanism of poás from 1828 to 2018

Abstract

This chapter is arguably the most complete compilation of sulfur volcanism of any given volcano on Earth: Poás. Sulfur volcanism at Poás is described in historical literature since 1828, and in scientific literature since the 1960’s. We first classify the various manifestations of sulfur volcanism at crater lake bearing volcanoes (subaerial and sub-lacustrine sulfur pools, sulfur spherules, flows, cones/hornitos, and sweat, and pyroclastic and burning sulfur), based on work by Japanese pioneers in the early 1900s. Their first observations and models have passed the test of time and still stand as theories today. Comparing the sulfur volcanism at Poás with that in other (55) volcanoes, it is honest to say that only White Island (New Zealand) and Kawah Ijen (Indonesia) are the only ones comparable with Poás, being the most dynamic of them all.