Los Ausoles

Barro de Los Ausoles is a geothermal volcanic area with an area of ​​20 km ². It is located in the Departamento de Ahuachapán in El Salvador on the main road Panamericana CA 1 The capital city of San Salvador is approximately 100 km ( driving distance ) away.

History

Los Ausoles is one of the most interesting phenomena of volcanism in Central America and is known for its post-volcanic phenomena. Los Ausoles were discovered by the Spaniard García de Polanco 1576. The Mexican writer and founder of the National Library José Vasconcelos described the place as " the antechamber of hell ." In 1968 they started in this area with the use of geothermal energy. In 1975 the industrial power generation.

In the area of ​​Los Ausoles are:

• El Zapote, a former crater with a diameter of around 20 meters
• Valdivieso, with four large up to 20 meters in diameter and several small openings formed from sulfur crystals.
• La Labor, a sludge pond crater with seven volcanic openings and a vertical 200-meter deep shaft from which temporarily under high pressure sulfur fumes, water and clay are ejected.
• El Salitre, a number of warm water lagoons, hot springs reach temperatures up to 96 ° Celsius and the water flows over the 13 km long Rio Agua Caliente in the Rio Paz. Especially the thermal springs are fond seen concomitants of volcanism with tourists.
• Central geotermica de Ahuachapan, a 95 - MW power plant