VolcanoWatch Weekly [1 January 2010]

VoW: Redoubt (Again!)

View of Redoubt faintly steaming (plume drifts south [to the left in the photo] from the summit) on December 31, 2009, as seen from near Homer, Alaska. Photograph courtesy of Dennis Anderson, Night Trax Photography. Picture Date: December 31, 2009 12:55:00 AST.

ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY CURRENT STATUS REPORT
Thursday, December 31, 2009 12:40 PM (Thursday, December 31, 2009 21:40 UTC)

REDOUBT VOLCANO (CAVW #1103-03-)
60°29’7″ N 152°44’38” W, Summit Elevation 10197 ft (3108 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

The rate of shallow, small earthquakes at Redoubt Volcano decreased markedly yesterday and remains low. The Aviation Color Code remains YELLOW and the Volcano Alert Level remains ADVISORY.

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(23December – 29 December 2009)

New Activity/Unrest

• Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Mayon, Luzon
• Poás, Costa Rica
• Redoubt, Southwestern Alaska
• San Cristóbal, Nicaragua

Latest on Mayon Volcano

• Could Blue Moon Trigger Mayon Explosion?

Volcano News (Source: GVP)

OVSICORI-UNA reported that on 25 December a phreatic eruption from Laguna Caliente, a summit lake of Poás, was seen by visitors standing at a viewpoint to the S of the crater. Lake water mixed with sediment and blocks was ejected 550-600 m above Laguna Caliente.

MVO reported that during 11-19 December activity from the Soufrière Hills lava dome continued at a high level. Frequent pyroclastic flows were noted on the northern flank. Ashfall also occurred on many other Caribbean islands, as far as Puerto Rico (400 km ENE), and disrupted commercial flights. (Source: GVP)

Ongoing Activity

• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Volcanic Explosions Could Split More Than Africa
• Arabia Shakes
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [26 Oct 2009]

More Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Pacific storm moves across the Northwest

Pacific storm causing heavy rain and snow from Washington and Oregon to Intermountain West

A Pacific storm  in the Northwest is generating heavy rain and high-elevation snow as it moves from  the coast of Washington and Oregon to the Intermountain West.

The cold front is moving also southward  (see image above) into N. Calif, with rain and high-elevation snow expected as far south as the San Francisco Bay Area.

Near Real Time US Composite Satellite Image

Click HERE to Animate Above Image

Predominant Weather

GOES West Unenhanced Satellite Image

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Weather Forecast

GOES Infrared Image for North America

6Hr Precipitation Accumulative Amount  (in)

• For other graphical forecasts click  Weather
• For additional satellite images click  Satellite Imagery

Mayon Volcano Update [1 January 2010]

Could Blue Moon Trigger Mayon Explosion?

State vulcanologists believe full moon could trigger Mayon explosion

Resident volcanologists at Phivolcs said a major eruption could occur based on the volcano’s behavior and the the full moon working as triggering mechanism to cause the restive volcano to explode.

According to their theory,  the gravitational pull of the full moon as it gets closer to Earth could cause a large increase in the rate of ascent of magma up and out of the volcano.

The Moon glows by light it reflects from the Sun and is frequently the brightest object in the night sky. The Moon orbits the Earth about once a month (moon-th) from about 1 light second away. The above-pictured Full Moon occurs when the Moon is nearly opposite to the Sun in its orbit.   Credit: Lick Observatory.

How They Paint the Moon Blue

Most years have twelve full moons occurring monthly; however, each solar calendar year has an additional eleven days compared with the lunar year. The extra days add up to a 13th full moon called a “blue moon” about 7 times in the 19-year Metonic cycle, which translates into one blue moon every two or three years.

Other highlights from the news, eye-witness accounts, official and unofficial reports on Mayon’s status during  the past 24 hours:

• 28 volcanic earthquakes recorded
• 91 rockfall events
• Some steam emitted
• Lava still flowing
• SO2 emissions down to daily average of 1,255 tons
• Phivolcs may lower alert level from 4 to 3, if no significant events occur in the next few days

Human Angle:

• A power blackout was enforced in the danger zone around Mt Mayon on Thursday, to discourage residents from returning to their homes.
• The water supply is due to be turned off Friday, as state volcanologists warned that the full moon  could trigger a major explosion today.
• A military spokesman said many residents were using  “backdoor” routes to return to their homes for the New Year’s festivities.
• About two dozen tourists were reportedly arrested as they entered the danger zone.
• Local police and military have been ordered to carry out house-to-house searches and arrest any residents that might still be in the danger zone.
• Aid organizations are plan to evacuate about 4,000 animals to areas outside Mayon danger zone, ABC said.

Mayon Volcano Bulletin 19 released by PHIVOLCS on 1 January 2010

The seismic monitoring network around the volcano detected 28 volcanic earthquakes and 91 rockfall events related to the detachment of lava fragments at the volcano’s upper slopes during the past 24-hour observation period. No ash explosion was observed. Weak to moderate emission of white steam at the summit crater was seen during cloud breaks from 7:29 AM – 8:30 AM and from 5:25 PM to 5:40 PM yesterday. Flowing lava and intermittent rolling incandescent lava fragments were observed last night. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emission rate was measured at an average of 1,255 tons/day.

Alert Level 4 is still being maintained but if no significant events should occur during the next few days, PHIVOLCS-DOST shall consider the possibility of lowering down the alert level from 4 to 3. PHIVOLCS-DOST still strongly reiterates that the Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) from the summit of 8-km on the southern sector of the volcano and 7-km on the northern sector should be free from human activity. Active river channels and those perennially identified as lahar prone in the southern sector should also be avoided especially during bad weather conditions or when there is heavy and prolonged rainfall. In addition, Civil Aviation Authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ejected ash and volcanic fragments from sudden explosions may pose hazards to aircrafts. PHIVOLCS-DOST is closely monitoring Mayon Volcano’s activity and any new significant development will be immediately posted to all concerned.

For previous entries, additional information, photos and links to Mayon Volcano see links below:

• Mayon Pipes Down, for Now

• Mayon Calmer, But it Could Be the Lull Before the Storm

• The Raging Lava Mill

Related Links:

• Mayon Volcano Links Page [Recent Posts, Photos, Videos and Comments]
  
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links