Talk:Misti

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Lightburst talk 20:18, 13 December 2023 (UTC)

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• Comment or view
• Article history

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Misti as seen from Arequipa

• ... that Misti (pictured) is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world? Source: considerando además que al volcán Misti se le considera el más peligro del Perú y uno de los más peligrosos del mundo, por la gran cantidad de personas que habitan tan cerca al edificio volcánico
  • Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/This Boy's Life: A Memoir

5x expanded by Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk). Self-nominated at 11:36, 22 November 2023 (UTC). Post-promotion hook changes for this nom will be logged at Template talk:Did you know nominations/Misti; consider watching this nomination, if it is successful, until the hook appears on the Main Page.

• The full review is to follow (a quick check didn't find red flags), but I wonder if the hook could be revised. The hook is only cited to a single source, so for such a strong claim (which I don't doubt, this is more to avoid an ERRORS situation) I'd like to see a few more sources that also verify it. Narutolovehinata5 (talk · contributions) 06:29, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

  Added a QPQ. Sources that verify the "one of the most dangerous" claim include . Not supporting the exact claim, but this one shows that Arequipa is one of the three closest cities to an active volcano (and its population has since grown) Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 09:11, 30 November 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, that should work. Just add them to the article because ideally such a strong claim like "one of the most dangerous in the world" would require multiple citations. Narutolovehinata5 (talk · contributions) 01:50, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

Added one of these sources for now. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 08:44, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, that should be better. Image is okay, article is okay (GA'd on time), hook is cited inline and interesting. I can't understand Spanish so AGF on the sources. QPQ has been done. No close paraphrasing found (Earwig only detected false positives due to the References coming up as hits for some reason). Narutolovehinata5 (talk · contributions) 03:14, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

Pre-FAC review

Upon request, I've had ChatGPT5.2 pro prepare a pre-FAC review for this article. I gave it the text of the previous two FACs and asked it to prepare a bespoke prompt, which was this:

Here’s a copy-paste prompt you can give to a long-thinking model. It’s designed around exactly what sank the two FACs: choppy, listy paragraphs; weak narrative flow; reader disorientation from rapid topic-switching; and technical sections written too much like a paper rather than an encyclopaedia for the general reader.

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Prompt: pre-FAC prose review for "Misti" (criterion 1a)

You are an experienced Wikipedia Featured Article copyeditor. Your only job is to do a thorough pre-FAC prose review for criterion 1a ("well-written: engaging, professional standard"), for the English Wikipedia article Misti (a volcano in Peru).

Materials

I will paste the current article prose below (preferably wikitext, including citations/notes, but prose-only is acceptable). Use the pasted text as the source of truth; do not rely on memory.

[PASTE ARTICLE WIKITEXT/PROSE HERE]

Scope and priorities

Focus on prose. Do not do a source audit, fact-checking, or content expansion. You may mention citation placement only when it directly harms readability (e.g., mid-clause refs breaking flow).

Your north star is Wikipedia’s general-audience expectation (WP:TECHNICAL / WP:ONEDOWN): write so an intelligent non-specialist can follow the story without feeling punished.

Pay special attention to the problems raised in prior FACs:

• Choppy, list-like paragraphs where sentences can be shuffled with no loss of meaning (no narrative progression).
• Topic ping-pong (volcano → city → administrative history → back to volcano) that disorients readers.
• Over-dense technical passages (geology/geomorphology/eruption history/hazards) that read like an academic summary rather than encyclopaedic explanation.
• Jargon and unexplained terms, especially in the lead and "popular" sections (hazards, eruption history).
• Over-detail that blocks summary style and makes the prose less readable.
• Weak referents and ambiguity ("this", "it", "the latter", "the city", "these") and unclear antecedents.
• Register problems (informal phrasing like "turned down", "used to", or loaded terms like "peasants").
• Wordiness, repetition, and clunky constructions ("was considered to be", stacked "of the", repeated nouns, awkward "with-plus-participle" phrases).
• Sentence mechanics: overlong sentences, semicolons used where full stops would read better, awkward parentheticals, stacked unit conversions that interrupt clauses.

Output format (required)

Produce your suggestions as bullet points. Each bullet must contain:

• Original: (quote the exact sentence(s) you’re addressing; keep to 1–2 sentences or ~40–60 words max)
• Suggested change: (your improved wording; preserve meaning; keep encyclopaedic tone)
• Why: (a few words explaining the goal: flow, clarity, cohesion, remove ambiguity, reduce jargon, reduce listiness, etc.)

Example format (use this exact structure):

• Original: "…" Suggested change: "…" Why: Flow; avoids topic switch

Organisation of your review (required)

1. High-impact fixes first (Top 15). List the 15 changes most likely to move the article from "technically correct but dull/confusing" to "FAC-ready prose". These can include paragraph-level rewrites, re-ordering of sentences within a paragraph, or trimming minor detail for summary style.
2. Section-by-section pass. For each major section (and subsections where needed), give a run of bullets covering:

• paragraph topic sentences and logical ordering
• transitions between sentences
• where detail should be summarised or moved
• where jargon needs in-line plain-English treatment (or a better framing that avoids the term)

1. Recurring patterns checklist. End with a short checklist of recurring issues you noticed (e.g., "too many ‘this/these’ without antecedents", "administrative history interrupts geography", "lists disguised as prose", "mid-clause citations break rhythm"), phrased as actionable rules the nominator can apply across the article.

Editing constraints

• Keep meaning intact; do not introduce new claims.
• Prefer plain, professional, neutral encyclopaedic English.
• When simplifying, do not dumb down: aim for clarity without losing precision.
• If a technical term is necessary, either (a) explain it briefly in the sentence, or (b) reframe the sentence so the reader can understand the point without learning the term first.
• Avoid "the latter/former", avoid time-relative filler ("to this day", "recently", "nowadays") unless it’s made precise.
• Where you recommend trimming, be explicit about what can be cut without losing "major facts".

Extra: paragraph rewrites (optional but encouraged)

Where a paragraph is fundamentally list-like or incoherent, you may propose a full rewritten paragraph. If you do, keep the same bullet format but treat the "Original" as the whole paragraph and the "Suggested change" as the whole rewritten paragraph.

Now the result (after 16 minutes of thinking):

High-impact fixes first (Top 15)

• Original: "Misti is a volcano located in the Andes mountains of southern Peru, rising above Peru's second-largest city, Arequipa." Suggested change: "Misti is a volcano in the southern Peruvian Andes, rising above Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city." Why: Tighter; removes "volcano located"; smoother opening
• Original: "It is a conical volcano with two summit craters, one nested within the other." Suggested change: "It has a steep conical profile and two nested summit craters." Why: Avoids repetitive "volcano"; improves rhythm
• Original: "The inner crater contains a lava structure (either a volcanic plug or a lava dome) with active vents that emit volcanic gases." Suggested change: "The inner crater contains an active lava plug or dome, cut by vents that release volcanic gases." Why: Removes hedgy parenthesis; cleaner, more confident prose
• Original: "Snow covers the summit but does not persist; there are no glaciers." Suggested change: "Snow can cover the summit but rarely lasts; there are no glaciers." Why: More natural phrasing; the semicolon here reads stiff

  "rarely lasts" sounds like sometimes there is permanent snow cover. Let this one alone. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 10:55, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The volcano developed in four stages. During each stage, lava flows and lava domes built up a mountain, whose summit then collapsed to form a caldera." Suggested change: "Misti grew in four main stages. Each stage built the cone with lava flows and domes, then ended with a summit collapse that formed a caldera." Why: Narrative progression; avoids the "textbook" feel

  Added, but with two small modifications. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 10:55, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The volcano is part of a volcano group with Chachani to the northwest and Pichu Pichu to the southeast, which developed on top of the debris of other volcanoes." Suggested change: "Misti forms a local volcanic group with Chachani to the northwest and Pichu Pichu to the southeast, built on debris from older volcanoes." Why: Fixes the ambiguous "which"; reduces clunk
• Original: "The narrow valleys on western and southern flanks are particularly threatening…" Suggested change: "The narrow valleys on its western and southern flanks are particularly threatening…" Why: Missing possessive; polish
• Original: "Since then, the Peruvian Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) has set up a volcano observatory in Arequipa, and runs public awareness campaigns… and published a hazard map." Suggested change: "Since then, the Peruvian Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) has established a volcano observatory in Arequipa, runs public-awareness campaigns, and has published hazard maps." Why: Parallel verbs; fewer "and"s; smoother list
• Original: "…offered human sacrifices (capacocha) on the summit of Misti and neighbouring mountains to placate the volcano; the mummies on Misti are the largest Inca human sacrifice known." Suggested change: "…offered human sacrifices on Misti and neighbouring peaks to placate the volcano; the mummies on Misti form the largest known Inca human sacrifice." Why: Avoids jargon-in-parentheses; reduces awkward "the mummies… are"
• Original: "The city was founded on 15 August 1540, and Misti is The volcano is the hausberg (house mountain) of Arequipa…" Suggested change: "The city was founded on 15 August 1540. Misti is the hausberg (house mountain) of Arequipa…" Why: Fixes a hard prose break/typo that fails "professional standard"
• Original: "Misti is the best-known volcano of the country, and lies north of Arequipa… The Inca Empire's Condesuyos province included the volcano… The mountain is visible from the Pacific Ocean." Suggested change: "Misti, often described as Peru’s best-known volcano, rises just north of Arequipa and is visible from the Pacific Ocean. Historically the area formed part of the Inca Empire’s Condesuyos province; today it lies in the Arequipa Department." Why: Fixes topic ping‑pong; adds a coherent "story" order
• Original: "Dirt roads heading from Arequipa to Chivay run along the northern and western foot of Misti… There are numerous dams… including… and… and…" Suggested change: "Roads and water infrastructure cluster around Misti’s lower slopes. Routes from Arequipa to Chivay and Juliaca skirt the volcano, while dams on the Rio Chili—including Aguada Blanca, El Frayle, and the Charcani hydroelectric complex—help supply the city with water and power." Why: Replaces a list-paragraph with a readable, ordered paragraph

  However, it strips a fair bit of geographical information. I guess I just think that list format is the lesser evil in such situations. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 10:55, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "Volcanoes often experience the collapse of part of the cone, a so-called sector collapse, which form a landslide ("debris avalanche")." Suggested change: "Volcanoes can undergo sector collapse, when part of the cone fails and forms a debris avalanche." Why: Fixes grammar ("collapse… which form"); less jargon-heavy
• Original: "From southeast to southwest the Quebrada Carabaya, Quebrada Honda, Quebrada Grande… drain the mountain." Suggested change: "Several quebradas (seasonally dry valleys) drain Misti’s slopes, carrying water mainly during the wet season. These channels feed the Rio Chili on the north and west and the Rio Andamayo/Tingo Grande system to the south." Why: Major readability win; avoids an exhausting name-list in running text

  As above. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 10:55, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The 9,000 and 8,500 years old eruptions produced the "Sándwich" deposits. They extend for more than 15 kilometres… produced ash fall…" Suggested change: "The 9,000‑ and 8,500‑year‑old eruptions produced the "Sándwich" deposits. These deposits extend for more than 15 kilometres on Misti’s southwestern flank and produced ash fall as far as the Pacific Ocean and Lake Titicaca." Why: Fixes broken sentence; fixes hyphenation; restores professional fluency

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Section-by-section pass

Lead

• Original: "The summit of the volcano lies on the margin of the outer crater at 5822 m above sea level." Suggested change: "The summit reaches 5,822 metres above sea level, on the rim of the outer crater." Why: Less stiff; avoids "summit of the volcano" repetition
• Original: "The upper reaches of the slopes are barren but the lower slopes are covered with bush vegetation." Suggested change: "The upper slopes are largely barren, while lower elevations support scrub and other bushy vegetation." Why: Smoother contrast; avoids repeating "slopes"
• Original: "…covered the surrounding terrain with tephra (rocks fragmented by volcanic eruptions)." Suggested change: "…covered the surrounding terrain with tephra—rock fragments thrown out during eruptions." Why: Reads better than parenthetical; definition sits naturally in-line

  Not much better than what is there currently. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:27, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "…phases of increased fumarolic activity have sometimes been mistaken for eruptions." Suggested change: "…periods of increased gas release have sometimes been reported as eruptions." Why: Keeps meaning while reducing jargon load in the lead

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Name and settlement history

• Original: "The volcano was originally known as Putina and only became known as Misti beginning in the 1780s." Suggested change: "Earlier sources called the volcano Putina; the name Misti appears from the 1780s." Why: Removes the ambiguous "originally"; clearer chronology
• Original: "Other names for the volcano are Guagua-Putina, El Volcán ('the volcano'), San Francisco and Volcán de Arequipa ('Arequipa volcano')." Suggested change: "Other names include Guagua‑Putina, El Volcán (‘the volcano’), San Francisco, and Volcán de Arequipa (‘Arequipa volcano’)." Why: Prevents "San Francisco and Volcán…" being misread as one name

  Applied a different correction. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:04, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "Settlement of the region began more than 1,500 years ago." Suggested change: "Settlement in the region began over 1,500 years ago (around the Middle Horizon)." Why: Reduces "relative time" vagueness without adding new claims (you already footnote this)

  Applied a variant. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:04, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

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Human geography

• Original: "The Inca Empire's Condesuyos province included the volcano; presently Misti is in the Arequipa Department." Suggested change: "In Inca times the area formed part of the Condesuyos province; today Misti lies in the Arequipa Department." Why: More direct; avoids awkward "presently"
• Original: "There are numerous dams on the Rio Chili, including the Aguada Blanca Dam and reservoir north of the volcano, El Frayle (both north of the volcano) and Hidroeléctrica Charcani I, II, III, IV, V and VI…" Suggested change: "Several dams on the Rio Chili—including the Aguada Blanca reservoir, El Frayle, and the Charcani hydroelectric complex—support Arequipa’s water and power supply." Why: Removes repetitive parentheticals; reduces listiness; keeps key names
• Original: "Italian geographer Gustavo Cumin in 1925 stated that three small man-made structures in the crater had been known since 1677, but noted that their origin was unknown." Suggested change: "In 1925, the Italian geographer Gustavo Cumin reported that three small man‑made structures in the crater had been known since 1677, although their origin was unclear." Why: Better flow; removes repeated "noted/stated"

  OK, I guess. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:08, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "In 1893, professor Solon Irving Bailey … installed what was then the world's highest weather station on Misti. … The station was one of several stations built at the time… it was also used for research… Another weather station…" Suggested change: "In 1893, Harvard astronomer Solon Irving Bailey installed what was then the world’s highest weather station on Misti. The site was chosen for its clear, calm atmosphere and became the highest continuously inhabited location on Earth for a time. A second station ("Mt. Blanc Station") was later built at the volcano’s base; both closed in 1901 when Harvard consolidated operations in Arequipa." Why: One coherent narrative; fewer back-and-forth topic jumps
• Original: "Observation of physics phenomena, such as cosmic ray measurements, were sporadically carried out on Misti…" Suggested change: "Observations of physical phenomena, such as cosmic‑ray measurements, were carried out sporadically on Misti…" Why: Subject–verb agreement; professional polish

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Geography and geomorphology

• Original: "The volcano is a young, symmetric cone with 30-degree steep slopes." Suggested change: "Misti is a young, largely symmetric cone with slopes of about 30 degrees." Why: Removes clunky "30-degree steep"; softens absolute claim cleanly
• Original: "In the crater is a 120-metre-wide and 15-metre-high volcanic plug or lava dome. It is covered with cracks, boulders… and features active fumaroles." Suggested change: "The inner crater contains a 120‑metre‑wide, 15‑metre‑high lava plug or dome. Its surface is cracked and boulder‑strewn, and it hosts active fumaroles." Why: More vivid, less "In the crater is…"
• Original: "Estimates of the mountain's volume range from 150 cubic kilometres to more likely values of 90 cubic kilometres or 40 cubic kilometres." Suggested change: "Published estimates of Misti’s volume vary widely, from about 40 to 150 cubic kilometres." Why: Removes editorial "more likely"; turns three competing numbers into one readable range
• Original: "From southeast to southwest the Quebrada Carabaya, Quebrada Honda… drain the mountain." Suggested change: "A series of quebradas (seasonally dry valleys) drain the cone; during the wet season they carry runoff into the Rio Chili system to the north and west and into valleys to the south." Why: Prevents the "name dump" that reads like a gazetteer

  Kept this for now, as I think the names are important. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:13, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "Traces of glacial erosion like cirques… imply that Misti was glaciated… although some sources question whether Misti was ever glaciated…" Suggested change: "Some studies interpret features such as cirques and glacial erosion as evidence that Misti was glaciated during the first phase of the last glacial maximum (~43,000 years ago). Others argue the evidence is weak and any ice cover may have been thin." Why: Same content, but the disagreement becomes easy to follow

  Keeping the current for now, since the variant omits some information and these sources seem less explanatory. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:13, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

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Geology

• Original: "Off the western coast of Peru, the Nazca Plate subducts (descends) under South America…" Suggested change: "Off Peru’s west coast, the Nazca Plate subducts beneath South America at about 5–6 centimetres per year." Why: Removes the awkward parenthesis and the "under… under" risk
• Original: "…the downgoing slab releases fluids that chemically modify the mantle situated above the slab, causing it to produce melts." Suggested change: "As the slab descends, it releases fluids that chemically modify the mantle above it, generating melt." Why: Same meaning; less textbook-y; fewer repeated words
• Original: "Volcanic activity in southern Peru goes back to the Jurassic… but the currently recognisable volcanic arcs in Peru are more recent…" Suggested change: "Volcanism in southern Peru dates back to the Jurassic, but the modern arc system is much younger. Misti belongs to the youngest arc (the Pleistocene–Holocene Frontal Arc), which developed over the past one million years." Why: Anchors the "context" to Misti immediately
• Original: "The Tacaza Arc is the source of the Huaylillas Formation and the Barroso arc of the Sencca Formation." Suggested change: "Rocks associated with these arcs include the Huaylillas Formation and parts of the Sencca Formation (sometimes linked to Barroso volcanism)." Why: Reduces the "X of Y of Z" stack that loses non-specialists

  That's too imprecise in my mind. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:32, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The formation of the Misti magmas involves the arrival of new magma, assimilation of crustal material and fractional crystallization." Suggested change: "Misti’s magmas evolved through a combination of magma recharge, mixing with crustal material, and fractional crystallisation." Why: More active phrasing; tighter list
• Original: "…but not every influx of new magma trigger eruptions…" Suggested change: "…but not every influx of new magma triggers eruptions…" Why: Grammar; professional standard

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Eruption history

• Original: "Misti is a young volcano. It developed in four stages, numbered 1 through 4…" Suggested change: "Misti is a geologically young volcano that developed in four stages (commonly labelled Misti 1–4)…" Why: Immediate cohesion; reduces the "list of facts" feel
• Original: "Between 50,000 and 40,000 years ago… Intense pyroclast ic eruptions…" Suggested change: "Between 50,000 and 40,000 years ago… Intense pyroclastic eruptions…" Why: Fixes a visible split/typo that undermines credibility

  Seems like a false positive? Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:38, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The 15,000 years old "Autopista"." Suggested change: "The 15,000‑year‑old "Autopista"." Why: Correct hyphenation; professional tone
• Original: "This eruption produced three layers of (mostly) pumice…" Suggested change: "This eruption produced three layers composed mostly of pumice…" Why: Removes bracketed aside; smoother scientific prose
• Original: "Deposits of eruptions after "Autopista" have been named according to two schemes: One spans… the other includes…" Suggested change: "Deposits erupted after "Autopista" are named under two competing schemes (one spanning the late Pleistocene to Holocene, the other extending to the 2,000‑year‑ago eruption)." Why: Keeps the essential point while reducing list fatigue

  A bit too OR-ish. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:38, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The date is constrained to 2,060–1,920 years before present; ages of 2,300 BP are probably too old." Suggested change: "The best-constrained date range is 2,060–1,920 years before present; some estimates around 2,300 BP are considered too old." Why: Removes "probably" as Wikipedia voice; preserves uncertainty
• Original: "…expelled rocks that were awash of the hydrothermal system…" Suggested change: "…expelled rocks that had been altered by the hydrothermal system…" Why: Fixes unidiomatic phrasing; clearer meaning

  In this case being awash however is important; it's not a mere hydrothermal modification. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:38, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The water source for the mudflows is unclear, but the eruption took place during the neoglacial…" Suggested change: "The water source for the mudflows is unclear. The eruption occurred during the neoglacial (about 2,500–1,000 years ago), when Misti may have supported seasonal snow or ice…" Why: Fixes the illogical "but"; improves logical flow

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Hazards

• Original: "…owing to its location just 12 kilometres from Arequipa…" Suggested change: "…because it lies close to Arequipa…" (then use one consistent distance phrasing elsewhere, e.g., "within 20 km," rather than mixing "12 km" and "less than 20 km" in different places) Why: Avoids reader whiplash from competing headline distances (a prose/coherence problem)
• Original: "Over time the city has expanded and new towns, neighbouring towns and districts get within 8 km of the crater." Suggested change: "Urban growth has brought parts of the metropolitan area to within 8 km of the crater." Why: Replaces clunky list; clearer subject and verb

  That actually sounds more jargon-like? Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:42, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "About 8.6% of Peru's gross domestic product depends on Arequipa and would be impacted by a future eruption of Misti." Suggested change: "About 8.6% of Peru’s gross domestic product depends on Arequipa, making the potential economic impact of an eruption substantial." Why: Removes the obvious/tautological "would be impacted"; stronger sentence

  OK, hinging on WP:CALC. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:42, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The eruptions 2,000 years ago and 1440–1470 AD eruptions deposited tephra…" Suggested change: "The eruptions 2,000 years ago and in 1440–1470 AD deposited tephra over what is now Arequipa." Why: Removes duplicated "eruptions"; fixes cadence
• Original: "Hazards at Misti not related to volcanic activity include flooding during the wet season in Arequipa." Suggested change: "Not all hazards associated with Misti involve eruptions; seasonal flooding can also occur in channels draining the volcano during the wet season." Why: Avoids the misleading "not related to volcanic activity" phrasing

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Monitoring and hazard management

• Original: "As of 2021, the monitoring network on Misti includes…" Suggested change: "By 2021, the monitoring network on Misti included…" Why: Avoids "As of…" time-filler; reads more encyclopaedic
• Original: "…the crater fumaroles were surveilled both from Arequipa and from the crater." Suggested change: "…the crater fumaroles were monitored both from Arequipa and from within the crater." Why: "Surveilled" feels off-register; clearer spatial phrasing
• Original: "A volcano hazard map was developed in 2005… It defines three hazard categories… These are defined by…" Suggested change: "A volcano hazard map, developed in 2005 and presented in 2008, divides the area into three zones (high, intermediate, and low hazard) based on threats such as debris flows, mudflows, pyroclastic flows, and tephra fall." Why: Cuts repetition ("defines… are defined"); one clean summary sentence

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Fumarolic and geothermal system

• Original: "They make noises, produce visible clouds of water vapour and the smell of hydrogen sulfide." Suggested change: "They can be noisy, produce visible water‑vapour plumes, and emit a hydrogen sulfide smell." Why: Fixes ungrammatical parallelism ("produce… and the smell")
• Original: "…the gas becomes so concentrated that it causes irritations to the eyes, nose and throat." Suggested change: "…gas concentrations can become high enough to irritate the eyes, nose, and throat." Why: More idiomatic; avoids "irritations to"
• Original: "The fumaroles outside of the summit crater are colder… and do not smell of sulfur." Suggested change: "Fumaroles outside the summit crater are cooler… and lack the strong sulphurous odour reported at the summit." Why: Removes the "two smells?" confusion without over-claiming chemistry
• Original: "To the north is the Humaluso (Umaluso) spring, while to the south and southwest lie Agua Salada, Bedoya… [long list]." Suggested change: "Hot springs occur around the volcano, including Humaluso (Umaluso) to the north and several groups to the south and southwest (for example, Charcani V, Sabandia, and Tingo)." (Move the full inventory to a note if you must keep it.) Why: Replaces a phonebook list with readable summary style

  Leaving this open for a future note-ification. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:47, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

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Climate and vegetation

• Original: "Temperatures decrease with elevation: In 1910, monthly mean temperatures at the summit ranged… but in 1968…" Suggested change: "Temperatures decrease with elevation. In 1910, monthly mean temperatures at the summit ranged… In 1968, summit temperatures rose above freezing for a few days each year." Why: Removes the awkward colon; better sentence boundaries
• Original: "The snow cover rapidly melts away during the dry season." Suggested change: "During the dry season, any snow cover tends to disappear quickly." Why: Avoids the "how can it melt?" trap; keeps meaning but less absolute
• Original: "…pioneer specie s like lichens and mosses…" Suggested change: "…pioneer species like lichens and mosses…" Why: Fixes a visible typo that breaks "professional standard"

  Another mistake - this is part of the pipe. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:49, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "The vegetation belt is known as the "Misti zone". There is an altitudinal gradation: vegetation is dominated by…" Suggested change: "This vegetation belt is sometimes called the "Misti zone". Plant communities change with elevation:…" Why: Less repetitive; more reader-friendly framing

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Religious importance

• Original: "The mountain was considered the apu of Arequipa and venerated by its inhabitants; mountain worship is a common practice among Andean people." Suggested change: "People in Arequipa venerated Misti as an apu (a mountain deity), reflecting a wider tradition of mountain worship in the Andes." Why: Active voice; definition placed where it helps; less clunky semicolon

  Kept the note. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:56, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "These traditions probably originated with the previous inhabitants of the area and were taken over by the Inca…" Suggested change: "These traditions may have originated among earlier inhabitants of the area and were later adopted by the Inca after they conquered the region." Why: Removes Wikipedia-voice certainty; improves chronological clarity
• Original: "…either friendly or hellish depending on which region's inhabitants evaluated it." Suggested change: "…with traditions varying by region: some described it as a benign destination for souls, others as a more fearful one." Why: Removes "evaluated it"; fixes odd collocation

  Piped to "hell" but I am not sure that it gets the point correctly. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:56, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "People used to alter the shape of the skulls of their infants so that they resembled the volcano." Suggested change: "Some communities practised cranial deformation in infants, shaping skulls to resemble the volcano." Why: Avoids informal "used to"; more encyclopaedic register
• Original: "Misti was considered to be an aggressive mountain that was always demanding sacrifices…" Suggested change: "Some accounts characterised Misti as an aggressive mountain that demanded sacrifices…" Why: Removes absolute "always"; avoids endorsement tone

  However, without the "always" it loses semantic meaning. Kept it thus. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:56, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "…and in colonial times a pilgrimage aimed at exorcising the volcano." Suggested change: "…and, in colonial times, pilgrimages were held to ‘exorcise’ the volcano." Why: Fixes the sentence fragment; clarifies agency

  One pilgrimage. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:56, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "Misti however had turned down, saying it was already Christianised…" Suggested change: "Misti, the story says, refused, claiming it was already Christianised…" Why: Fixes missing object; removes informal "turned down"
• Original: "…to discourage the volcano." Suggested change: "…to appease the volcano." Why: "Discourage" is an odd verb choice here
• Original: "…to calm Misti down." Suggested change: "…to calm the volcano." Why: "calm down" is informal
• Original: "To this day, religious ceremonies are carried out on the volcano." Suggested change: "Religious ceremonies continue to be carried out on the volcano." Why: Removes time-relative filler while preserving meaning
• Original: "Geologists are known to offer objects to the volcano before carrying out investigations." Suggested change: "Some geologists reportedly make offerings to the volcano before beginning fieldwork." Why: Reduces weasel wording; clearer verb; better register
• Original: "Local farmers believe that after offering gifts to Misti women will bear boys, while the same offers to Chachani will make them bear girls." Suggested change: "Local farmers believe that offerings to Misti lead to the birth of boys, while offerings to Chachani lead to the birth of girls." Why: Fixes grammar; removes awkward "bear" repetition

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Mummies

• Original: "The mummies were of children, mostly boys around six years old and some infants, which were sometimes buried one on top of the other." Suggested change: "The mummies were children—mostly boys around six years old—along with a few infants. In some cases, the bodies were buried one on top of another." Why: Fixes unclear "which"; improves readability
• Original: "…and the Misti capacocha is the largest known." Suggested change: "…and the Misti capacocha assemblage is the largest known." Why: Prevents readers thinking a single event/body is "the" capacocha
• Original: "However, the hostile conditions within the crater had seriously damaged the mummies." Suggested change: "Conditions within the crater were harsh, and the mummies were badly damaged." Why: Less "however"; firmer, simpler close

  That sounds like the damage was contemporary to their emplacement, which is unproven. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:58, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

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Climbing and recreation

• Original: "On 9 July 1988, U.S. cyclist Terry Powers went to the summit of Misti with a mountain bike… and rode down…" Suggested change: "On 9 July 1988, U.S. cyclist Terry Powers reached Misti’s summit with a mountain bike and rode down the northern slopes." Why: "Reached" reads cleaner than "went to"
• Original: "The main ascent route… is from the Aguada Blanca dam… There are campsites… The ascent… takes… A less common route… Ascent from Chiguata takes…" Suggested change: "Most climbers approach from the Aguada Blanca dam (a permit is required to cross it), with campsites around 4,600 metres. From there, the summit can be reached in a long day. Alternative routes start on the southern flank (via Tres Cruces and Los Pastores) or from Chiguata, which typically takes several days." Why: Turns a list into a coherent route summary

  Recast this a bit. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:01, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

• Original: "Misti and its neighbouring volcanoes have been investigated as potential geosites." Suggested change: "Misti and neighbouring volcanoes have been assessed as potential geosites (places of geological interest for education and tourism)." Why: One-down accessibility; avoids leaving "geosite" as mystery jargon

  This would take a footnote. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:01, 14 February 2026 (UTC)

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Recurring patterns checklist (actionable rules)

• Start each paragraph with a point, not a list. Lead with the "why this matters" sentence, then add details in descending importance.
• Avoid "topic ping‑pong". Don’t jump volcano → city → admin history → volcano inside the same paragraph unless you explicitly bridge the jump.
• Kill sentence fragments and visible typos immediately. Anything like "Misti is The volcano is…" or "pyroclast ic" will sink "professional standard".
• Replace lists-in-prose with summary style. If you’re naming more than ~3–4 items, use "including X and Y" and move the full inventory to a note (or a table if truly essential).
• Prefer active voice and concrete verbs. Swap "was considered to be" → "was" / "was regarded as"; "were carried out" → "people performed".
• Avoid absolute and editorial words in Wikipedia voice. Replace "always", "probably" (unattributed), "more likely" with attributed or neutral constructions ("some sources…", "estimates vary…").
• Reduce ambiguity by naming the subject more often. Don’t rely on "it/this/these/the city/the latter"; restate "Misti", "Arequipa", "the crater", etc.
• Minimise parenthetical clutter in running prose. Where definitions are needed, prefer short appositives or em dashes over stacked parentheses.
• Be consistent with key headline numbers and descriptors. If you use "12 km" in one place and "= one idea}} and Avoid "topic ping‑pong". Each sentence should not just state a new fact, but somehow logically build on what came before. Sometimes a paragraph proceeds in chronological order. Sometimes it starts by stating a general idea which gets explored in progressively fine detail. Sometimes it offers viewpoints from different authors. RoySmith (talk) 12:24, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

In my experience, one runs into problems when a particular topic either a) is neither long enough for a whole paragraph but hard to attach to an existing one or b) straddles multiple topic areas. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:35, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

Yeah, that happens. None of these are hard and fast rules. There's value in having a paragraph be a single topic. There's also value in not having lots of very short paragraphs. These two ideas are sometimes in tension with each other and you do the best you can. RoySmith (talk) 16:41, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

@RoySmith: I wonder if Misti is now better on that front. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 19:49, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Took care of some additional discrepancies. RoySmith would you say that the discussion of the Inka reaction to the last eruption is better placed in the mummy section, the eruption section or both as it currently is? Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:20, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

You're talking about the first paragraph of Historical activity and seismicity, right? I think it works fine where it is, but perhaps you could say "and possibly as far as Siple Dome and Law Dome, X,000 km away in Antarctica." RoySmith (talk) 23:35, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

That and also its discussion in other sections. JoJo Eumerus mobile (main talk) 08:33, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

@RoySmith: Poke in case you have comments on whether the article now meets the prose quality requirements. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 17:08, 25 March 2026 (UTC)

To be honest, I haven't been following this recently. RoySmith (talk) 11:44, 26 March 2026 (UTC)

Topographic map

@Jo-Jo Eumerus: I was arranging the maps that I created last year and stumbled upon a topographic map of Misti. I have no recollection of why I created it, which usually means that some editor requested it as some point, and since this article is GA, I won't upload it unless it's necessary.

Did you or anyone involved in this article request such a map? I can't find any request at WP:GL/M. If it helps jog someone's memory, I found two (the not so good looking one shows the drainage basin). M.Bitton (talk) 00:36, 15 February 2026 (UTC)

I asked for such maps during the FACses. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:30, 15 February 2026 (UTC)

I must have seen the request (no idea why I didn't upload them). I assume that you no longer need the topographic map. M.Bitton (talk) 00:50, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Depending on how accurate it is, it might be useful still. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:56, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Topographic map of El Misti

I hope it's useful, and yes, it is accurate (as accurate as the data it's based on). M.Bitton (talk) 15:44, 22 February 2026 (UTC)

@Jo-Jo Eumerus: what do you think? M.Bitton (talk) 13:36, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

Seems fine, but with no labels for valleys it's not very informative. Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk) 16:13, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

I don't usually add more than what is absolutely necessary to a "location map". Anyway, since it's already uploaded, I'll leave it as it may be still useful to someone else. M.Bitton (talk) 01:54, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

My usual philosophy on maps is that they should show the locations of places mentioned in the text. I'm not sure how that would work for this article, since there's a lot of places mentioned; if you put them all on the map, it would be totally cluttered, so maybe just show the most important places? RoySmith (talk) 02:10, 26 February 2026 (UTC)