Keep ’em guessing: Crazy volcano names
On advice of Eruptions reader Ekoh, I thought it would be fun to try to come up with a list of the most tongue-twisting and bizarre volcano names out there. I know there are a few out there that I’ve only typed once (the rest of the time I cut-and-paste), so lets review some recent fun ones:
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Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland) – everyone’s favorite tongue twister.
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nEyjafjallajökull erupting in mid-May, 2010.
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And people are still talking about the how the ash crisis was handled.
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Kliuchevskoi (Russia) – It doesn’t help that it has like ten names to boot (from the Smithsonian GVP):
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KAMCHATSKAIA GORA
nKAMCHATSKY VULKAN
nKAMTSCHATSKAJA
nKLIUCHEVSKAIA SOPKA
nKLJUTSCHEW
nKLJUTSCHEWSKAJA SSOPKA
nKLUCHEV
nKLYUCHEVSKAYA
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n1994 image taken from STS-59 of a plume from Kliuchevskoi.
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Make up your mind already! See a brand new NASA EO image of the volcano erupting on June 6.
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Popocatépetl (Mexico) – Mayan and Aztec names are always fun, but there is a reason that this volcano is usually just called El Popo.
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nEl Popo steaming away in Mexico.
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Aucanquilcha (Chile) – As I’ve mentioned, I did my dissertation work on Aucanquilcha, so I am especially fond of this one. Typically the first question I would get at any poster I gave on my research is “how do you produce that”. Interestingly, I’ve never been able to find a definition for what the name means.
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nVolcan Aucanquilcha near the Chile-Bolivia border. Image by Erik Klemetti, taken in November 2000.
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Some reader suggestions:
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Skjaldbreiður and Þeistareykjarbunga (Iceland) – You could fill a book with Icelandic tongue twisters.
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nSkjaldbreiður, a shield volcano in Iceland.
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Pululahua (Ecuador) – I would have guess Hawai`i for this one, but nope, it is in Ecuador (along with one of my personal favorites, Guagua Pichincha).
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So, Eruptions readers, what else can you suggest? Remember, we’re looking for recognized volcanoes – not random features on the volcano. Bizarre names are good too, they don’t need to be tongue-twisters. Post your suggestions here – and links to any info on the volcano too.
