Editing Acatenango

{{Short description|Stratovolcano in Guatemala}}
{{About||the Municipality|Acatenango, Chimaltenango|the racehorse|Acatenango (horse)}}
<!--These tags are for the section about Hiking the Volcano-->
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Acatenango
| photo = Volcan de Fuego y Acatenango.jpg
| photo_caption = [[Volcán de Fuego]] (left) and Acatenango (right)
| elevation_m = 3,976
| elevation_ref = 
| prominence_m = 1,835
| prominence_ref = <ref name="peakbagger">{{cite peakbagger|pid=8092|name=Volcán Acatenango, Guatemala}}</ref>
| map = Guatemala |relief=1
| map_caption = 
| label_position = right
| location = [[Guatemala]]
| range = [[Sierra Madre, Guatemala|Sierra Madre]]
| coordinates = {{coord|14|30|03|N|90|52|33|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = 
| type = [[Stratovolcano]]
| volcanic_arc = [[Central America Volcanic Arc]] 
| age = 200 Kyr
| last_eruption =  November to December 1972
}}
'''Acatenango''' is a [[stratovolcano]] in [[Guatemala]], close to the city of [[Antigua Guatemala|Antigua]]. It is part of the mountain range of the [[Sierra Madre de Chiapas|Sierra Madre]]. The volcano has two peaks, ''Pico Mayor'' (Highest Peak) and ''Yepocapa'' (3,880 m) which is also known as Tres Hermanas (Three Sisters). Acatenango is joined with [[Volcán de Fuego]] and collectively the volcano complex is known as La Horqueta.

==Description==
The Fuego-Acatenango [[massif]] comprises a string of five or more [[volcanic vent]]s along a north–south trend that is perpendicular to that of the [[Central American Volcanic Arc]] in Guatemala. From north to south, known centres of volcanism are Ancient Acatenango, Yepocapa, Pico Mayor de Acatenango, [[Meseta (volcano)|Meseta]], and [[Volcán de Fuego|Fuego]]. Volcanism along the trend stretches back more than 200,000&nbsp;years. Although many of the centres have been active contemporaneously, there is a general sequence of younger volcanism, from north to south along the trend.<ref name=usgs>{{cite journal|url=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Guatemala/Publications/OFR01-431/past_events_fuego_acatenango.html|author=Vallance, J.W.|author2=Schilling, S.P.|author3=Matías, O.|author4=Rose, W.I.|author5=Howell, M.M.|year=2001|title=Volcano Hazards at Fuego and Acatenango, Guatemala|journal=USGS Open-File Report 01-431|series=Open-File Report|page=17 |publisher=USGS|doi=10.3133/ofr01431|doi-access=free|bibcode=2001usgs.rept...17V }}</ref>

This massive volcano complex towers more than 3,500&nbsp;metres above the [[Pacific]] coastal plain to the south and 2,000&nbsp;metres above the [[Guatemalan Highlands]] to the north. The volcano complex comprises remnants of multiple eruptive centres, which periodically have collapsed to form huge debris avalanches. The largest of these avalanches extended more than 50&nbsp;kilometres from its source and covered more than 300 square kilometres.<ref name=usgs/>

== Eruption history ==
The only known historical [[eruption]]s of Acatenango volcano occurred in the 20th century, between 1924 and 1927 from just north of the summit peak (Pico Mayor) and again in December 1972 from the saddle between Yepocapa and Pico Mayor. These [[phreatic]] explosions generated ballistic [[volcanic bomb]]s that fell near the summit craters and fine [[volcanic ash]] that fell up to 25&nbsp;km away.

In prehistoric time, Acatenango has erupted explosively to form widespread fall deposits, hot [[pyroclastic flow]]s and [[lava]] flows. There have been numerous eruptions during the past 80,000&nbsp;years from vents along the massif. The most recent explosive eruptions of Acatenango occurred 1,900&nbsp;years ago (Pico Mayor), 2,300&nbsp;years ago (Pico Mayor) and about 5,000&nbsp;years ago (Yepocapa). If such eruptions were to recur, many people and costly infrastructure would be at risk.
[[Image:Map guatemala volcanoes.gif|thumb|295px|Major Volcanoes of Guatemala]]

==Economy ==
The Acatenango Valley is a designated coffee-producing region of [[Anacafé]].

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Acatenango from Fuego.JPG|Volcan de Acatenango, seen at night from Volcan de Fuego.
File:Acatenango and Fuego at Sunset.jpg|Sunset behind Acantenago and Fuego, seen from the lower north side of Volcan de Agua. 
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of volcanoes in Guatemala]]
*[[Mountain peaks of North America]]
*[[List of stratovolcanoes]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{USGS|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/0431/pdf/of2001-0431.pdf}}
{{sister project links}}
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{cite gvp|vn=342080|name=Acatenango}}
{{Clear}}

{{Central American volcanoes}}

[[Category:Sacatepéquez Department]]
[[Category:Sierra Madre de Chiapas]]
[[Category:Active volcanoes]]
[[Category:Stratovolcanoes of Guatemala]]
[[Category:Subduction volcanoes]]
[[Category:Mountains of Guatemala]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Guatemala|Volcano]]
[[Category:Pleistocene stratovolcanoes]]
[[Category:Holocene stratovolcanoes]]
[[Category:North American 3000 m summits]]