Barro de los Ausoles
Barro de Los Ausoles is a geothermal volcanic area with an area of around 20 km². It is located in the Departamento de Ahuachapán in El Salvador on the main road Panamericana CA 1. The capital San Salvador is about 100 km (driving distance) away.
history
Los Ausoles is one of the most interesting volcanic phenomena in Central America and is known for its post-volcanic appearances. Los Ausoles were discovered by the Spaniard García de Polanco in 1576. The Mexican writer and founder of the National Library José Vasconcelos described the place as the "antechamber of Hell". In 1968 the use of geothermal energy began in this area. In 1975 industrial power generation followed.
In the Los Ausoles area are:
- El Zapote , a former crater around 20 meters in diameter
- Valdivieso , with four large ones up to 20 meters in diameter and several small openings with crystals formed from sulfur.
- La Labor , a mud pond crater with seven volcanic openings and a vertical shaft around 200 meters deep from which sulfur vapors, water and clay are ejected at times under high pressure.
- El Salitre , a series of warm water lagoons, the thermal springs reach temperatures of up to 96 ° Celsius and the water flows over the 13-kilometer Rio Agua Caliente into the Rio Paz. The thermal springs in particular are a welcome side effect of volcanism among tourists.
- Central Geotérmica de Ahuachapan , a 95 MW power plant
See also
literature
- John Baily (1850): Central America; Describing Each of the States of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. London: Trelawney Saunders. Page 98.
Web links
- Inicio del corredor turístico on El País, accessed February 11, 2014