Lava, rocks and volcanic gases in Costa Rica comes from Galapagos Islands

A study of a multinational group of costarican, german and US scientists, and published in Nature magazine, revealed that the material of the volcanoes in Costa Rica and Nicaraga (such as lava, rocks and gas) is formed beneath Galapagos islands, on a "submarine volcano" located in the depths of Pacific ocean.

The story, published today at local newspaper La Nacion, reported that according with scientists the volcanic material travel to the continental platform due to the movement of tectonic plate of Cocos, so called from the costarican Cocos Island.

Cocos Plate travel along the Pacific to the centralamerican isthmus, and 50 kms before reaching coastline subduction send it beneath the Caribbean Plate. During this process, Cocos Plate push over the rest of the terrestrial mantle and materials melt, resurface and release through volcanoes.

Years ago costarican scientist realized that volcanic material released by the Turrialba and Irazu volcanoes present a similar chemical composition to that of Galapagos island, but till now there was no way to probe it because of the scientific models used.

Two different and independent studies however showed the same new explanation. Researchers said this evidence will improve the knowledge of the composition of volcanos and sismic activity in Central America and the world.