TEIDE

'Teide' (pronounced "Tay-dee") or 'Pico del Teide' (traditional English: the 'Peak of Tenerife'), is a volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands. At above sea level - (the actual summit stands higher than the triangulation station and associated bench mark which has an altitude of ), and approximately above the adjacent sea bed, it is the highest mountain in Spain and the highest mountain in any Atlantic island. The island of Tenerife itself is the third largest volcano by volume on Earth making Tenerife the third largest volcanic island on Earth. Teide is also the third highest volcano on a volcanic ocean island. Due to its eruptive history and location close to population centres, the volcano has been designated a Decade Volcano worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters.
In 2007, it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Contents

Geology

Name

Access

Flora

References

External links

Geology

Teide is currently dormant, having last erupted in 1909 from the subsidiary vent of Chinyero on the west slope. Other significant eruptions occurred in 1704-05–1706 which destroyed the town and principle port of Garachico, plus several smaller villages and 1798. The summit has a number of small active fumaroles emitting hot sulfur dioxide and other gases. Further eruptions are considered likely in the future, including a risk of highly dangerous pyroclastic flows similar to those on Mount Pelée and Mount Vesuvius. From 2003, there has been a seismic crisis at the volcano, which may be indicative of magma rising into the edifice.
About 150,000 years ago, a much larger explosive eruption occurred, probably of Volcanic Explosivity Index 7, creating 'Las Cañadas', a large caldera at just over 2,000 m altitude, 15 km across east-west and 10 km north-south. On the south side, the internal crater walls rise as almost sheer cliffs from 2,100 m to 2,715 m at 'Guajara'. The 3,718 m summit of Teide itself, and its subsidiary vent 'Pico Viejo' (3,134 m), both in the northern half of the caldera, derive from eruptions subsequent to this prehistoric explosion.
Teide is unstable with a distinctive bulge on its northern flank. It is believed to be constructed over the headwall scarp of the infilled Icod Valle - which is a massive landslide valley formed by edifice failure in a similar manner to that of the Guimar and Orotava Valle's.

Name

Teide is a modern name given by the Spanish, the name given to the volcano was Echeyde by the native Guanches, prior to the Spanish colonization. Echeyde, in the Guanches legends, meant some sort of powerful figure leaving the volcano that could turn into hell. The Guanches believed that Echeyde held up the sky. During the 18th and 19th centuries it was called Mount Pico too. That is the reason for the existence of Mons Pico at the Moon, in Montes Teneriffe near the Mare Imbrium.

Access

The volcano and its surrounds, including the whole of the caldera, are protected in a national park, the 'Parque Nacional del Teide'. Access is by a public road running across the caldera from northeast to southwest; The public bus service TITSA Runs a once daily return BUS service from Puerto de la Cruz to teide,and another service,again once a day from Playa de las Americas. A parador (hotel) is also within the National Park along with a small chapel. A cable car (''Teleférico Teide'') goes from the roadside at 2,356 m most of the way to the summit, reaching 3,555 m. Access to the summit itself is restricted; a free permit (obtainable from the Park office in Santa Cruz, C/ Emilio Calzadilla, 5 - 4th floor) is required to climb the last 200 m.

Flora

Teide is also noted for a large number of endemic plants, including ''Cytisus supranubius'' (''Retama del Teide'', a species of broom), ''Echium wildpretii'' (''Tajinaste rojo'', a spectacular species of bugloss reaching 3 m tall), and , a species of wallflower. Lower down, the middle slopes from 1,000–2,000 m are clothed with forests of ''Pinus canariensis'' (''Pino Canario'' or Canary Island Pine).

Cable Car on Teide

The snow-capped summit of Teide in December 2004

Snow-capped Teide from the north, March 2006

Teide from the air

References

★ Volcanoes of Europe, , Alwyn, Scarth, Oxford University Press, ,

★ Canary Islands (Classic Geology in Europe 4), , Juan Carlos, Carracedo, Terra Publishing, ,

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External links

★ Teide National Park - Official Website of Tenerife Tourism Corporation

★ TITSA - Tenerife public bus service

★ Cable car