Pacific Northwest Research Station

Chaitén Photoessay

Remote sensing image with locations

Caption: Remote sensing image showing Chaiten volcano (CV) and town (CT), and Michimahuida volcano (M) with its extensive ice cap. Note that rivers on the north and east side (Rio Rayas) and south side (Rio Chaiten) of Chaiten volcano drain from Michimahuida. Tephra fall east of the volcano has caused browning of foliage of the forest and in some cases tree death, especially on upper slopes. The blast-affected area (BZ) on the northwest flank of the volcano has a sharp boundary with green forest vegetation on the west side. The four bridges along Route 7 are marked as 1. Rio Rayas (RR), 2. Rio Los Gigios (RG), 3. Rio Chaiten (RC), 4. Rio Amarillo (RA). Also shown is a Rio Amarillo tributary (RAT), which experienced several meters of deposits of tephra transported to the area by streams after the eruption (Figure 8). (Source: Int’l Space Station, Feb 24, 2009, Astronaut photograph ISS018-E-35716) (modified from our 2009 photo-essay Figure 1 posted on The Volcanism Blog)