Day 9: Monday, 1/15/2018
After a few days of not-so-great Wi-Fi, we’re back on the blog (barely)!
January 15th was Tina Chen’s (’19) birthday and to say the least, we celebrated in style! In the morning, the group tromped their way through the jungle up the flank of Cerro Chato. Despite the muddy trail and the constant rain, everyone was eager to get a glimpse of the emerald summit crater lake.
Although the last eruption of Chato Volcano was ~30 ka, making it an “inactive” volcano, Costa Rican researchers still monitor it closely for a different volcanic hazard – CO2 degassing and lake overturn. Similar to the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning due to a gas leak in your own home, if CO2 builds up at the depths in the crater lake and is released, anyone nearby the volcano can be at risk of asphyxiation. At present, the lake is not dangerous (we tested the temperature and pH of the water ourselves!), providing the students with an exciting learning experience!
After our crater lake adventure, the students were awarded a well-deserved afternoon at a local hotspring resort where the pools and slides are heated naturally by Arenal Volcano! … and Tina got a cake!
The crater lake at Chato Volcano.
Carlos explains how water at volcanic lakes is tested using various devices, such as the ‘multi-parameter’ pictured here.
Hot spring fun!!!