Archive for the ‘volcanoes’ Category
Posted by feww on September 8, 2013
Massive Volcano Discovered in NW Pacific Ocean
Researchers have discovered an immense shield volcano on the seabed, northwest Pacific Ocean.
Tamu Massif is said to be the oldest and largest edifice of the Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
A single, immense volcano, Tamu Massif is constructed from massive lava flows that erupted from the center of volcano to form a broad, shield-like dome some 145 million years ago.
Researchers writing in the journal Nature Geoscience suggest the 310,000 km² (119,000 mi²) Tamu Massif could be the largest single volcano on Earth, comparable in size only to the Olympus Mons on Mars, believed to be the largest volcano in the Solar System.
The Tamu Massif Volcano ~ 32.5ºN, 158.4ºE
Rising 3.5km above the seabed, Massif lies about 2km below the sea, and is rooted more than 30 km into the earth’s crust on the Shatsky Rise, some 1,600 km east of Japan.
“We don’t have the data to see inside them and know their structure, but it would not surprise me to find out that there are more like Tamu out there,” said Dr Sager, one of the researchers at the University of Houston.
“Indeed, the biggest oceanic plateau is Ontong Java plateau, near the equator in the Pacific, east of the Solomons Islands. It is much bigger than Tamu—it’s the size of France.” [Tamu is nearly the size of Norway. Editor]
Key point
“One interesting angle is that there were lots of oceanic plateaus (that) erupted during the Cretaceous Period (145-65 million years ago) but we don’t see them since. Scientists would like to know why.” Sager said.
Posted in Significant Event Imagery, significant events, significant geophysical disturbances, volcanism, volcano, volcano images, Volcano News, Volcano Watch, volcanoes, Volcanology | Tagged: Cretaceous Period, mars, Olympus Mons, Ontong Java plateau, Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau, shield volcano, solar system, Tamu Massif, tsunami, Tsunami Model, volcano discovery | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 5, 2013
Ubinas erupts after three years of dormancy
Ubinas Volcano in Moquegua region, SW Peru, erupted twice on September 1, and again on September 2, followed by two additional eruptions on September 3, and one on September 4.
The latest eruptions ejected columns of ash and volcanic gases to heights of about two kilometers above the summit crater.
Peru’s most active volcano, Ubinas is located about 70 kilometers from the city of Arequipa (metro pop: ~ 1,260,000), near the country’s Pacific coast, about 230 km east of the Peru-Chile trench and about 150 km above the Benioff-Wadati plane, where the Nazca plate is subducting under the continental part of the South American Plate.
“We have to be alert in monitoring the volcano to consider any evacuation if it is needed,” said President Ollanta Humala on Wednesday.
Ubinas Volcano has erupted six times since September 1, 2013 after three years of dormancy. Image credit: ANDINA
Related Search Terms on Fire Earth
“UBINAS” “Volcano Watch”
Posted in Significant Event Imagery, significant events, significant geophysical disturbances, volcano images, Volcano News, Volcano Watch, Volcano Watch Weekly, volcanoes | Tagged: Arequipa, Benioff-Wadat, Nazca Plate, peru, Peru-Chile Trench, South American Plate, Ubinas, Ubinas volcano | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on March 31, 2013
El Hierro moving east, experiencing uplift amid intense seismic activity
Intense seismicity and inflation at El Hierro suggest magma is intruding underneath the tiny volcanic island, the smallest of Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa (population ~ 10,000).
- Sharp increase in seismic activity in and around the tiny island (Area: ~ 278 km2) began on March 18, with the largest quake measuring 4.7 on Richter scale, which occurred on Friday.
- The majority of tremors are occurring at a depth of between 12 and 15 km.
- The latest geological activities have caused the island to move east and forced the ground to rise by 11 cm at Punta de Orchilla on the western tip of the island.
Map of El Hierro with recent quake epicenters
Image Credit: AVCAN. AVCAN.ORG was developed by Victor Tapia. Original idea, administration and all rights by Fernando Raja
Histogram of the recent earthquakes at El Hierro 18 -31 March, 2013. Note sharp increase in seismic activity since March 18, 2013. Image credit: AVCAN.
Latest Earthquake at El Hierro. Image credit: AVCAN.
Global Volcano Watch (Source: AVO; HVO; GVP)
New Activity/Unrest:
- Fuego, Guatemala (Lava fountains rising to 400 m above the crater reported on 20 March, causing 1.5 km long lava stream in the Ceniza drainage).
- Hekla, Southern Iceland
- Tungurahua, Ecuador
Ongoing Activity:
U.S. Volcanoes
- Kilauea, Hawaii (Hawaii) – Code ORANGE – WATCH
- Cleveland Volcano (Alaska) – Code YELLOW – ADVISORY
Kamchatka Peninsula
- Gorely – Code YELLOW
- Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) – Code ORANGE
- Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) – Code ORANGE
- Tolbachik, Central Kamchatka (Russia) Code ORANGE
- Bezymianny – Code YELLOW
- Sheveluch Central Kamchatka (Russia) – Code ORANGE
Indonesia
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Lokon-Empung, Sulawesi
- Paluweh, Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia)
Kurile Islands
- Snow – Code YELLOW
- Ivan Grozny – Code YELLOW
Other Volcanoes
- Bagana, Bougainville (PNG)
- Popocatépetl, México
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu (Japan)
- Santa María, Guatemala
Total: 21 volcanoes
Recent Volcano News
Posted in active volcanoes, Volcano Hazard, Volcano News, Volcano Watch, volcanoes | Tagged: Canary Islands, Cleveland, Fuego, geological event, Global Volcano Watch, Hekla, Kīlauea, Plosky Tolbachik, Punta de Orchilla, Seismicity, volcanoes 2013 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on March 20, 2013
Mt Lokon spews 2,000m column of pyroclasts
The latest eruption occurred at 07:57 a.m. local time Wednesday [UTC + 8 hrs] with a large plume from the Tompaluan crater moving to the northwest, Indonesia’s head of the Mt Lokon and Mount Mahawu observation post at Bandung Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) said.
Lokon volcano has experienced increased seismic activity and multiple eruptions since late June 2011, he said.
Lokon’s previous eruption occurred on March 10, 2013.
Mount Lokon’s eruption seen from Tomohon, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 14, 2011. Image Credit: Jakarta Post/ANN. Image may be subject to copyright.
The authorities have imposed a 2.5 km exclusion zone from the crater, however, no evacuation reported as of posting.
Lokon-Empung Summary of Details
Country/ Region: Indonesia (Sulawesi)
Summit Elevation: 1,580 m
Coordinates: 1.358°N, 124.792°E
Mount Lokon, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, is located about 20 km from North Sulawesi provincial capital of Manado.
A map of volcanoes of Indonesia with eruptions since 1900.
Related Links
Posted in volcano erupts, volcano images, Volcano News, Volcano Watch, volcanoes, Volcanology | Tagged: Lokon-Empung, Manado, Mt Lokon, North Sulawesi, Tomohon, volcanoes 2013, volcanoes of Indonesia | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on May 25, 2012
FIRE-EARTH FORECAST: Beerenberg Volcano on Jan Mayen Island Could Erupt Explosively [P≥ 64%]
The 2,280-m stratovolcano located on Jan Mayen Island could erupt this year with a probability of at least 64 percent.
The 6.2Mw earthquake (72.994°N, 5.651°E; 8.8 km; Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 22:47:46 UTC) and its subsequent aftershocks that occurred in the Norwegian Sea may have primed the volcano for an explosive eruption.
Jan Mayen Island (71°N 8°30’W) featuring Beerenberg Volcano. Source: Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen (Norway) is a volcanic island located in the north Atlantic Ocean, some 950km west of Norway and 600 km north of Iceland. The view of the island is dominated by the active volcano Beerenberg (2,280m), which last erupted in 1985, emitting an estimated total of about 2 x 107 m3 of lava and other volcanic matter.
Earthquake and Volcano Links
Posted in volcano alert, volcano eruption, Volcano Watch, volcanoes | Tagged: Beerenberg volcano, earthquake, Earthquake Norwegian Sea, Jan Mayen, Olonkin City, volcano | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 6, 2012
Explosion destroys dome in Cleveland summit crater
Sudden explosions of blocks and ash may occur, while the volcano remains active, with the ash clouds rising to above 20,000 feet above sea level, AVO said.
- Elevation: 5,676 ft (1,730 m)
- Location: 52.8222° N, 169.945° W
- Quadrangle: Samalga
Mt Cleveland. Photo taken at 18:00 UTC on 11 Mar 2012 while transiting north through Samalga pass. Several small explosions were detected in days prior to the time of the photo, but very little ash is observed on the upper flanks. Credit: Matthew Davis/NOAA.
KILAUEA VOLCANO
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W,
Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Ale,rt Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: The summit continued to inflate slowly while back-to-back DI events and sympathetic summit lava lake oscillations continued. Overnight, glow was visible within the Halema`uma`u gas plume and from sources within Pu`u `O`o crater. To the southeast, surface flows continued to be active on the pali and the coastal plain; there was no ocean entry. Seismic tremor levels were low; gas emissions were elevated: HVO
Kīlauea Volcano. Active flows continued over a broad area on the coastal plain on April 5, 2012. “This composite image combines a normal photograph and a thermal image to show the areas of active breakouts. Yellow areas are active flows while red areas are inactive, but still warm, flows. The flow front in the lower right was 1.6 km (1 mile) from the ocean,” HVO said.
Alert Level Increased for Iliamna Volcano, AK
Iliamna Activity – Color Code YELLOW Alert Level ADVISORY
Since January 2012 the earthquake rate at Iliamna Volcano has steadily increased and now exceeds normal background levels.
Iliamna Volcano. View from the SSE of Iliamna showing the prominent NE shoulder fumarole field near the summit. Note glacier disturbance (movement) on the east flank (upper Red Glacier). Photo: Game McGimsey/AVO/USGS.
Pagan
Location: Mariana Islands (18.13 ºN, 145.8 ºE)
Elevation: 570 m
Recent Eruption: 2006
Volcanic Alert Level: ADVISORY
Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
A gas and steam plume continued to extend downwind from the summit vent throughout the past week, but there were no further reports of unrest or activity at Pagan volcano, USGS said.
Other Volcanic Activity/ Unrest (Source: GVP)
New Activity/Unrest:
Ongoing Activity:
Related Links
Posted in active volcanoes, Alaska volcanoes, hawaii volcanoes, major volcanoes, super volcanoes, US Volcanoes, volcanoes | Tagged: Alaska, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, Cleveland volcano update, Earthquakes, Earthquakes 2012, Fox Islands group, Iliamna Volcano, Kīlauea, Kīlauea volcano update, Mariana Islands, Mt Cleveland, Pagan, Pu`u `O`o crater, Red Glacier, Samalga island, Samalga pass, volcano update | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on June 20, 2011
Nabro: A closer look at a neglected volcano
Nabro volcano erupted on June 12, 2011 apparently for the first time in recorded history.
The volcano is located in Eritrea and forms a larger complex with the Mallahle caldera to the southwest.
The following photo, taken by astronauts (cosmonauts?) aboard the ISS, show the large horseshoe-shaped caldera extending 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter. The opening to the southwest seems to have formed as a result of a major lateral collapse. Two infant calderas sit within the main basin.
The volcano was still erupting, though less vigorously, according to Toulouse VAAC, as of posting.
Nabro Volcano photo taken from ISS on January 30, 2011. Astronaut photograph ISS026-E-23526. Nabro has spewed large amounts of SO2, reportedly the highest levels ever detected from space, according to preliminary estimates from NASA/GFSC. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.
Related Links
Posted in volcanoes | Tagged: Afar Triangle, Mallahle volcano, NABRO Eruption, Nabro SO2 emission, Nabro Volcano, Nabro Volcano space photo | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on May 18, 2011
Japan’s Largest Active Volcano Erupts
Mount Aso exploded on Tuesday May 17 at 19:09UTC, prompting Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) to raise the volcanic alert level for the volcano to 2.
Officials in Kumamoto Prefecture, home to the volcano, have imposed a 1 km exclusion zone around the 1,060m high Mt Naka, also warning of ejecta hazards, Kyodo news agency reported.
The central cone group of Aso hosts five peaks: Eboshi, Kishima, Naka, Neko, and Taka.
The explosive eruption followed minor activity at the volcano on Friday and a small eruption on Sunday.
Another small eruption on Monday resulted in a column of smoke and ash ejected 500m above the summit at about 10:am local time.
Mount Aso’s Naka dake volcano in Aso Kujū National Park, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, 17 Aug 2009. Credit: Igorberger
Current Volcanic Warnings (Japan, Island of Kyushu)
Asosan’s Mt Naka is at warning level 2: Do not approach the crater. Mt Kirishima and Mt Sakurajima are currently at warning level 3: Do not approach the volcano Source: JMA (copyrighted, for educational use only.)
Related Links
Posted in Volcano Hazards, volcanoes, volcanoes of japan | Tagged: asosan, Kirishima, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu volcanoes, Mount Aso, Mount Aso Explosion, Mt Naka, Mt Sakurajima, Volcao Warning | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on January 15, 2011
Europe’s largest and most active volcano lights up the Sicilian night with a fountain and cascade of lava
The massive Mt Etna erupts. Image credit: ANSA. Image may be subject to copyright.
Mt Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano, rumbled spewing ash and steam into the air on January 11 when MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite captured the above image of the east coast of Sicily featuring the 3,350-meter-high volcano’s unrest, a day before it erupted. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. Download larger image (3 MB, JPEG)
A plume of sulfur dioxide from Mt Etna is being carried over the Mediterranean Sea. Image was acquired by the AIRS on NASA’s EOS-AQUA satellite. Click image to enlarge.
Volcano Links:
FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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Posted in volcanism, volcano, volcano images, Volcano News, volcanoes | Tagged: airs image of etna so2, etna erupts, Mt Etna, mt etna erupts, mt etna satellite image | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on November 11, 2010
Mt Merapi releases them all: Ash plumes, lahars, pyroclastic flows, sulfur dioxide …
Image shows concentrations of sulfur dioxide release by Mt Merapi volcano between November 4 and 8, 2010. The image was processed from data acquired by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura spacecraft. “Sulfur dioxide is measured here in Dobson Units: The greatest concentrations appear in dark red-brown; the lowest in light peach. Typically used to measure ozone, the Dobson Unit is the number of molecules of gas that would be required to create a layer 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1 atmosphere (the air pressure at the surface of the Earth).” Source: NASA E-O.
Latest Entries on Mt Merapi
Related Links
FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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Posted in aerosols, Merapi Eruption, Mount Merapi volcano, sulfur dioxide, volcanoes | Tagged: Indonesia volcanoes, Merapi Eruption, Mount Pinatubo, pyroclastic flows, singapore sling | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on June 25, 2010
Summary of Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
[Source: SI/USGS]
New Activity/Unrest (16 June – 22 June 2010)
Map of Volcanoes. Background Map: University of Michigan. Designed and enhanced by Fire Earth Blog. Click image to enlarge.
Ongoing Activity:
For additional information, see source.
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FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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volcanic activity, volcanic eruption, volcanic hazard, volcanism, volcano. Tagged: Volcano Watch, San Cristóbal, Volcano Watch Weekly, Manam Volcano satellite image, Melimoyu volcan
Posted in volcano, volcano alert, Volcano Hazard, Volcano News, Volcano Watch, volcanoes | Tagged: Etna, Gorely, Ioto [Iwo-jima], Nevado del Huila, Tiatia | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on November 26, 2009
VOW: to be announced…
SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(18 November – 24 November 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
Volcano News (Source: GVP)
An explosive eruption from detected by the seismic network on 20 November prompted INGEOMINAS to raise the Alert Level. Residents reported five explosions, sound waves, and incandescence from multiple areas in the crater.
During 18-24 November, HVO reported that lava flowed SE from beneath Kilauea’s Thanksgiving Eve Breakout (TEB) and rootless shield complex through a lava tube system, reaching the ocean. On 21 November, a sliver of the rim collapsed and was followed by an explosion that produced a dense brown plume that dissipated after a few minutes. Watch the video here. Source: GVP [Note: The video has .mov format and cannot be run on Windows Media Player.]
Ongoing Activity:
Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia); Chaitén, Southern Chile; Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka; Kilauea, Hawaii; Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Pacaya, Guatemala; Popocatépetl, México; Rabaul, New Britain; Reventador, Ecuador; Sakura-jima, Kyushu; Santa María, Guatemala; Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Soufrière Hills, Montserrat; Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
Related Links:
More Links:
FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
Other Related Links:
Recent Posts on Chaitén:
. Tagged: Arenal, Bagana, Chaiten, Fuego, Galeras, Karymsky, Mayon
Posted in volcanic activity, volcanic hazard, volcanic unrest, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: Chaiten, Galeras, Karymsky, Kīlauea, Reventador, volcano | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on November 21, 2009
Volcano Watch: Acting locally causes effects globally
(Volcano Watch is a weekly article written by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, HVO.)
A visit to Kilauea can bring a sense of awe and appreciation for the earth’s volcanoes. Over the past weeks, the east rift eruption has produced multiple ocean entries, and photogenic surface flows, which have touched off fiery infernos in the rare remaining kipuka (island of vegetation).
Lava from Kilauea enters the ocean.
The flows came uncomfortably close to the tourist trail that has carried tens of thousands of admiring visitors, and engulfed and destroyed a lone structure. Not to be outdone, the Halemaumau Overlook vent has offered glimpses of a rising and falling lava pond, as well as a landscape of molten, shifting holes opening into a deep cavity within the vent.
In contrast, living downwind of Kilauea’s copious gas emissions, or in the path of lava flows, can bring an exclamation of “auwe” (“oh dear!” or “Alas!”). Since the onset of summit activity in 2008, impacts from Kilauea have increased.
Hawaii County was declared a federal natural disaster area owing to agricultural losses, and air quality in downwind communities frequently exceeded federal and state standards.
While Kilauea does contribute modest amounts of gasses to the atmosphere, most impacts are local to Hawaii. We might count ourselves lucky because growing evidence suggests that very large volcanic eruptions have extreme effects on the global environment.
For example, massive volcanic activity around 60-70 million years ago occurred on the Deccan Plateau in what is now west-central India. This activity, which produced the Deccan Traps (from the Swedish word for stairs, Trappa, which refers to the feature’s step-like landscape), is one of the largest known eruptions to occur since the Earth’s initial formation.
Kilauea – Active Lava Tube. Source: USGS
There are distinct similarities between Kilauea and the Deccan Traps. While Kilauea is being created by the Hawaii hot spot, the Deccan Traps were likely a product of the Reunion hot spot.
The eruptive style of both can be characterized by multiple volcanic events separated by relatively short repose periods. They produce basaltic lava and have flow units with pahoehoe toes as the basic building block.
In fact, scientists have studied Kilauea’s active volcanism as an analog for processes that would have created the Deccan Traps.
During the 0.5 million years or so since Kilauea first began growing from the floor of the ocean, 540 square miles have been covered by lava, or about 1/7 the area of Hawaii Island. The Deccan Traps currently cover 190,000 square miles, an area somewhat greater than that of California.
During its peak, which likely lasted less than 1 million years, the eruption rate of the Deccan Traps was at least 15 times that of Kilauea’s current eruption rate, or at least 25 times that of Kilauea’s more modest lifetime eruption rate.
The timing of the Deccan Traps is intriguing, with the peak in activity occurring at around 65 million years ago.
Movie buffs and dinosaur fans might recall the tagline for the 1993 movie Jurassic Park: “An Adventure 65 Million Years in the Making,” referring to the timing of the transition between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. Known as the K-T boundary, it was characterized by mass extinction of species, including the non-avian dinosaurs.
There is strong evidence that the impact of a large asteroid or comet contributed to this mass extinction due to the presence of enriched iridium in the fossil record at the K-T boundary. Iridium is an element that is much less abundant in the earth’s crust than in meteorites, and, thus, likely originated from space.
The Chicxulub impact crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, has been identified as a likely candidate for a K-T impact event.
However, growing evidence suggests that volcanic activity from the Deccan Traps was a significant contributor to the mass extinction event. Recent studies examining the fossil record were able to correlate an abrupt change at the K-T boundary in species of tiny sea creatures known as foraminifera, with the main eruptive pulse in the Deccan Traps.
Volcanoes great and small can affect life on earth, from contributing to the extinction of dinosaurs to impacting Kilauea’s neighbors.
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Related Links:
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FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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Recent Posts on Chaitén:
Posted in extinction of dinosaurs, K-T impact, life on earth, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: deccan traps, Halema`uma`u, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, kilaueau, Volcano Watch, yucatan | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on November 19, 2009
VOW: Mayon
Mayon volcano spews smoke and ash for the second time in a day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009 at Legazpi, Albay province, about 340 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines. AP Photo/Nelson Salting. Image may be subject to copyright.
Related News and Posts:
SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(11 November – 17 November 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
Volcano News (Source: GVP)
CENAPRED reported that on 14 November an ash plume from Popocatépetl rose to an altitude of 7.4 km (24,300 ft) a.s.l. During 14-17 November, steam-and-gas plumes sometimes contained ash.
INGEOMINAS reported that an overflight of Galeras on 14 November revealed thermal anomalies in the main crater measuring 110 degrees Celsius and very low rates of gas discharge.
Ongoing Activity:
Arenal, Costa Rica; Bagana, Bougainville; Chaitén, Southern Chile; Fuego, Guatemala; Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia); Kilauea, Hawaii; Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka; Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Nevado del Huila, Colombia; Popocatépetl, México; Rabaul, New Britain; Reventador, Ecuador; Sakura-jima, Kyushu; Sangay, Ecuador; Santa María, Guatemala; Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Soufrière Hills, Montserrat; Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
Related Links:
More Links:
FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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Recent Posts on Chaitén:
Posted in volcanoes | Tagged: Arenal, Bagana, Chaiten, Fuego, Galeras, Karymsky, Mayon | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on November 12, 2009
SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(4 November – 10 November 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
Batur, Bali (Indonesia); Galeras, Colombia; Karangetang [Api Siau], Siau I; Mayon, Luzon; Nevado del Huila, Colombia; Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island; Reventador, Ecuador; San Vicente, El Salvador
GVP Volcano News:
OVPDLF reported that on 5 November a vent inside the S part of Piton de la Fournaise’s Dolomieu crater opened, following an intense seismic crisis. Within thirty minutes, a fissure on the upper SE flank propagated E and a second fissure opened on the E flank.
PHIVOLCS reported that on 11 November an explosion from Mayon’ssummit crater ejected incandescent rock fragments seen from nearby areas. Cloud cover prevented observations of an ash plume, however fieldinvestigations after the event revealed ashfall to the SW.—GVP
Ongoing Activity:
Chaitén, Southern Chile; Dukono, Halmahera; Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka; Kilauea, Hawaii; Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Koryaksky, Eastern Kamchatka; Rabaul, New Britain; Sakura-jima, Kyushu; Santa María, Guatemala; Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Soufrière Hills, Montserrat; Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
Related Links:
More Links:
FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast
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Recent Posts on Chaitén:
Posted in FEWW Volcanic Forecast, volcanism, Volcano Watch, volcanoes, VolcanoWatch Weekly | Tagged: Api Siau, Batur, Galeras, Karangetang, Mayon, Piton de la Fournaise’s Dolomieu crater, Reventador, San Vicente | 4 Comments »
Posted by feww on November 6, 2009
VOW: Kilauea
Click image to enlarge.
[Top] Activity at the west Waikupanaha ocean entry, where lava reached the ocean this past weekend, continues. The entry spans about 200 yards, with many small lava streams entering the water. [Above] On the east margin of the entry, lobes were advancing over a small black sand beach. USGS/ HVO [Dated 4 Nov 2009] Click image to enlarge.
More images:
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Thursday, November 5, 2009 7:48 AM HST (Thursday, November 5, 2009 17:48 UTC)
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Activity Summary for past 24 hours:
Growth and partial collapses of the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent cavity floor continued periodically obscuring and revealing the circulating lava pond surface. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava flows are active on the coastal plain. Lava is also flowing through tubes to the coast and entering the ocean at two locations west of Kalapana.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit:
The Overlook vent webcam images again showed fluctuating glow and spattering from a single elongated hole deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity; the rim of this hole was built progressively inward by spatter making the hole smaller until two more partial collapses occurred early this morning again revealing the circulating and spattering lava pond below. Glow from the vent was visible from Jaggar Museum overnight. This morning, a near white plume is moving southwestward and low over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on November 3, which is elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Small amounts of ash-sized tephra continued to be dropped from the plume near the vent.
Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continued to degas through Pu`u `O`o crater before erupting from the TEB vent, located 2 km to the east. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,400 tonnes/day on November 4, which is close to the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day. More …
Kilauea Spews More Lava
The rift zone on the eastern slopes of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano has been erupting since January 1983, the longest eruption in recorded history. Pu‘u ‘O‘o and the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout vent—two centers of volcanic activity—emit steam and other gases in this natural-color satellite image. Lava currently reaches the surface at the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout vent and flows southeast (towards the lower right) through a lave tube to the ocean. Small plumes of gas reveal the path of the lava. In general, the youngest lava flows are black, and older, weathered, flows are gray or brown. Surviving vegetation is bright green. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s EO-1 satellite acquired this image on November 2, 2009. NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using EO-1 ALI data provided by the NASA EO-1 team. Caption by Robert Simmon. Click image to enlarge.
SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(28October – 3 November 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
Ebeko, Paramushir Island | Galeras, Colombia | Karangetang [Api Siau], Siau I | Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific) | Nevado del Huila, Colombia | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
GVP Volcano News:
INGEOMINAS reported that on 28 October a pulse of tremor from Nevado del Huila was followed by an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 8.3 km (27,200 ft) a.s.l. On 3 November, residents of Mosoco (20 km SSW) saw collapses from the W side of the dome generate small pyroclastic flows and incandescence at night.
MVO reported that during 23-30 October seismic activity from the Soufrière Hills lava dome was at a slightly lower level that the previous week. Numerous pyroclastic flows occurred in most of the major drainage valleys and rockfalls were concentrated in the S. On 29 October, a 40-m-high spine was seen protruding from the summit. —GVP
Ongoing Activity:
Barren Island, Andaman Is | Chaitén, Southern Chile | Dukono, Halmahera | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Krakatau, Indonesia | Popocatépetl, México | Rabaul, New Britain | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
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Posted in FEWW Volcanic Forecast, volcanic activity, volcanism, Volcano Watch, volcanoes, VolcanoWatch Weekly | Tagged: Barren Island, Chaiten volcano, Dukono, Ebeko, Galeras, Karangetang, Karymsky, Krakatau, Manam, Montserrat, Nevado del Huila, Sakura-jima, Soufrière Hills, Suwanose-jima | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on October 29, 2009
VOW: Nevado del Huila
Eight of Colombia’s 15 volcanoes have erupted in the last 100 years, and three of them since 1990: Galeras, Nevado del Huila, and Nevado del Ruiz.
Nevado del Huila emitting ash [October 17, 2009.] As of posting more than a 1,000 tremors have been detected since Huila became restless on October 16, 2009. Photo: INGEOMINAS/Colombian Govt.
Nevado del Huila Emits Ash
Nevado del Huila became active on October 16, 2009. Tremors indicating movement of fluid within the volcano, surface emissions of gas and ash, and other volcanic activity have been reported recently by the Colombian Institute of Geology and Minerals (INGEOMINAS). Towering emissions of volcanic ash have also been reported almost daily. A column of ash reached flight level 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) on October 28, 2009. This natural-color image from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured the plume at 10:15 a.m. Thick gray ash is visible over the summit of Nevado del Huila, with a diffuse plume stretching northwest (towards the upper left corner of the image). According to the newspaper El Liberal, ashfall in the surrounding areas was a nuisance, but not yet a serious risk to health. INGEOMINAS assigned Huila an alert level of Orange, meaning an eruption is probable within days or weeks. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Robert Simmon.
Volcano of the Week Details
Name: Nevado del Huila
Country: Colombia
Region Name: Colombian Andes
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Last Known Eruption: 2009
Summit Elevation: 5,364 m (17,598 feet)
Latitude: 2.93°N
Longitude: 76.03°W
Source: GVP
Huila, the highest active volcano in Colombia, is an elongated, N-S-trending snow-capped stratovolcano, constructed inside an old caldera. The 5364-m-high volcano is seen here from the SW, with the northern peak (La Cuesta) on the left and the lower southern peak on the right flanking Pico Central, the volcano’s high point. Two persistent steam columns rise from the southern peak. Photo by Juan Carlos Diago, 1995 (courtesy of Bernardo Pulgarín, INGEOMINAS, Colombia). Caption: GVP
An explosive eruption ruptured the summit of Nevado del Ruiz on November 13, 1985, spewing about 20 million cubic meters of volcanic ash and rocks into the air. Forty-meter thick lahars traveling at velocities of up to 50 kilometers per hour destroyed the town of Armero 74 km away from the explosion crater, killing more than 23,000 people. [Source: USGS]
SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(21 October – 27 October 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
GVP Volcano News:
PHIVOLCS reported that on 28 October a minor ash explosion from Mayon produced a brownish ash plume that rose 600 m above the crater and drifted NE.
Based on web camera views, INGEOMINAS reported that on 21 October continuous gas emissions rose from Nevado del Huila and pulses of ash emissions produced plumes that drifted E. Observations during an overflight on 23 October revealed that gas-and-ash emissions originated from two locations.
Ongoing Activity:
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Colima, México
- Dukono, Halmahera
- Fuego, Guatemala
- Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
- Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
- Pacaya, Guatemala
- Rabaul, New Britain
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu
- Santa María, Guatemala
- Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
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Posted in Chaiten volcano, FEWW Volcanic Forecast, volcanic activity, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: Ebeko, Kliuchevskoi, Luzon, Mayon, Nevado del Huila, Reventador, Soufrière Hills | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on October 9, 2009
VOW: Ambrym
Destructive acid rain caused by eruption
According to press reports, an eruption from Benbow Crater occurred on 10 February [1979.] Gases from the eruption caused acid rainfall on the SW portion of Ambrym Island, destroying most vegetation within 24 hours, contaminating water supplies, and burning some inhabitants. Jean-Luc Saos, Director of Mineral Resources for the New Hebrides government, reported a high concentration of HCl and sulfur compounds in the volcanic gases. Although heavy ashfalls have occurred in the area in the past, this is the first report of acid rains. More …
View of the Marum cone at Ambrym looking SW, 7 June 2007. Incandescence from the active lava lakes can be seen reflected in the clouds (left). Courtesy of Steven Clegg.
Lava lake inside Mbwelesu crater within Marum cone at Ambrym, 7 June 2007. Courtesy of Steven Clegg.
A hazy layer of vog—volcanic fog—overlies Malekula and a few other islands of the Vanuatu archipelago in this natural-color satellite image. The source of the vog is Ambrym, a volcano in the southeast (lower right) corner of this scene. The haze extends over the Coral Sea several hundred kilometers to the northwest. Ambrym emits sulfur dioxide—the gas responsible for the formation of vog— intermittently. (Kilauea Volcano has recently affected the residents of Hawaii with similar vog emissions.) The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this natural-color image on October 6, 2009. [Large earthquake measuring up to 8.2 Mw struck Vanuatu region on October 7, 2009 at 22:03 UTC. FEWW] NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images of this region. Caption by Robert Simmon.
Ash plume from Ambrym Volcano, Vanuatu October 4, 2004, 23:00 UTC. Source: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response System.
View into the Mbwelesu crater on the Marum cone at Ambrym, captured 7 September 2008. Lava can be seen through two gaps in the crusted-over lava lake (enlarged insets). Courtesy of Arnold Binas.
Ambrym, a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera, is one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides arc. A thick, almost exclusively pyroclastic sequence, initially dacitic, then basaltic, overlies lava flows of a pre-caldera shield volcano. The caldera was formed during a major plinian eruption with dacitic pyroclastic flows about 1900 years ago. Post-caldera eruptions, primarily from Marum and Benbow cones, have partially filled the caldera floor and produced lava flows that ponded on the caldera floor or overflowed through gaps in the caldera rim. Post-caldera eruptions have also formed a series of scoria cones and maars along a fissure system oriented ENE-WSW. Eruptions have apparently occurred almost yearly during historical time from cones within the caldera or from flank vents. However, from 1850 to 1950, reporting was mostly limited to extra-caldera eruptions that would have affected local populations. Caption: GVP
Ambtym
Country: Vanuatu
Subregion Name: Vanuatu
Volcano Number: 0507-04=
Volcano Type: Pyroclastic shield
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2009
Summit Elevation: 1334 m 4,377 feet
Latitude: 16.25°S 16°15’0″S
Longitude: 168.12°E 168°7’0″E
SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(30 September – 6 October 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
News From GVP:
On 29 September, people living in Chaitén town, 10 km SW of Chaitén’s Domo Nuevo 1 (Phase I) and Domo Nuevo 2 (Phase II) lava-dome complex, noticed that the eruption column was larger. Scientists conducted an overflight and saw a third lava dome (Phase III) in the SW area of the complex, which had filled up a depression left by a collapse on 19 February.
According to news articles from 2 October, increased seismicity at Gaua was detected during the previous two weeks. Villagers living nearby reported ashfall and sulfur odors.
An explosive eruption from Galeras on 30 September prompted INGEOMINAS to raise the Alert Level. An ash plume rose to an approximate altitude of 12.3 km (40,400 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E, then N. —GVP
Ongoing Activity:
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Posted in California volcanoes, ecuador, FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast, Hawaii, island of Java, Kīlauea, Langila, Mexico, New Britain, Popocatépetl, Rabaul, Reventador, Sangay, volcanic hazard, volcanism, volcano services, volcanoes | Tagged: acid rain, Ambrym, Banks Islands, Central Kamchatka, Chaiten, Chuginadak Island, Cleveland, colombia, Eastern Kamchatka, Galeras, Gaua, Karymsky, Kliuchevskoi, Kyushu, Montserrat, Sakura-jima, Shiveluch, Soufrière Hills, southern Chile | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on October 2, 2009
VOW: Golden Trout Creek
A cluster of 66 shocks have rocked a a 15 square km area centered about 36.392°N, 117.861°W, some 41 km east of the Golden Trout Creek volcano field in central California, in the past few days. Although most of the quakes were tremors measuring less than M 3.0, the largest shock measured 5.2.
Volcano Details:
Country: United States
Region: California (USA)
Volcano Type: Volcanic field
Volcano Status: Tephrochronology
Last Known Eruption: 5550 BC ± 1000 years
Summit Elevation: 2,886 m (9,468 feet)
Latitude: 36.358°N (36°21’30″N)
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP)
The Golden Trout Creek volcanic field consists of a group of Quaternary alkali olivine basaltic cinder cones and lava flows in the Toowa valley of the Sierra Nevada about 25 km south of Mount Whitney. Lava flows from the Golden Trout Creek volcanic field erupted through Mesozoic granitic rocks of the Sierra Nevada batholith during several episodes dating back to about 743,000 years ago, when the Little Whitney cinder cone and lava flows were erupted. The South Fork cone was erupted about 176,000 years ago and produced the largest lava flow of the volcanic field, which traveled 10 km to the west, possibly as far as the floor of Kern Canyon. Tunnel cone to the north of South Fork (Red Hill) cone is undated, but its lava flow is overlain by glacial deposits and it is thought to be only slightly younger than South Fork cone. The youngest lava flow, from Groundhog cone, is unglaciated and thought to be about 5-10,000 years old (Moore and Lanphere 1983). The lava flow from Groundhog cone traveled 6 km west down Golden Trout Creek on top of the older flow from South Fork cone.—GVP. Photo: Rick Howard, 2002 (courtesy of Del Hubbs, U S Forest Service).
SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(23 September – 29 September 2009)
New activity/Unrest:
News From GVP:
CVGHM reported that on 26 September a “thunderous” noise from Dieng was heard from 2 km away. The next day, a phreatic eruption from an unspecified crater ejected mud as far away as 140 m S.
KVERT reported that on 17 and 22 September a weak thermal anomaly over Karymsky was detected in satellite imagery. Scientists flying near Karymsky in a helicopter on 22 September saw ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 1.7 km (5,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. —GVP
Ongoing Activity:
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Posted in Central Kamchatka, Chaiten, FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast, island of Java, Karymsky, Kliuchevskoi, Mayon, Sakar, Shiveluch, Socorro, Sumatra, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: California volcanoes, Chaiten, Dieng Volcanic Complex, Golden Trout Creek, Groundhog Crater, Karymsky, Kern Canyon, Kīlauea, Mount Whitney, Redoubt, Shiveluch, Sierra Nevada, Tephrochronology, Toowa valley, Turrialba | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on September 17, 2009
VOW: Krakatoa [Krakatau]
Krakatoa is a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait located between Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. Both the volcano and island group share the same name.
Four enormous explosions almost entirely destroyed Krakatoa island on August 27, 1883. The violent explosions were reportedly heard in Perth, Western Australia, some 3,500 km away. It was heard even on the island of Rodrigues near Mauritius, about 4,800 km away.
The shockwave from the last explosion, which ejected volcanic matter 80 km into the atmosphere, echoed around the planet seven times.
An 1888 lithograph of the 1883 violent explosion of Krakatoa.
The eruption ejected about 21 cubic kilometers of volcanic matter and completely destroyed two-thirds of the Krakatoa island.
The Island Map (Simkin and Fiske, 1983). Image may be subject to copyright.
Anak Krakatau (the Child of Krakatau) is the only active vent left from Krakatoa. u is This volcano has built itself slowly from the sea floor since the paroxysmal eruption of 1883. Anak Krakatau is located between the northern two vents, Danan and Perboewatan, that were destroyed in the 1883 eruption. For the most part, the eruptions are Vulcanian, slowly building the island with a combination of lava, ash, and pumice.
Krakatoa: Location Map. Source of the original map: USGS
Krakatoa: An early 19th Century image.
Early in the morning of May 20, 1883, the captain of the German warship Elizabeth reported seeing an ~11-km-high cloud of ash and dust rising above the uninhabited island of Krakatau, thus documenting the first eruption from this Indonesian island in at least two centuries. Over the ensuing two months, crews on commercial vessels and sightseers on charted ships would experience similar spectacles, all of which were associated with explosive noises and churning clouds of black to incandescent ash and pumice. From a distance, the largest of these natural fanfares impressed the local inhabitants on the coastal plains of Java and Sumatra, creating a near-festive environment. Little did they realize, however, that these awe-inspiring displays were only a prelude to one of the largest eruptions in historic times. A series of cataclysmic explosions began at mid-day on August 26, and ended on August 27 with a stupendous paroxysmal eruption. On this day, the northern two-thirds of the island collapsed beneath the sea, generating a series of devastating pyroclastic flows and immense tsunamis that ravaged adjacent coastlines. The events that began on August 26 would mark the last 24 hours on earth for over 36,000 people [possibly as many as 120,000,] and the destruction of hundreds of coastal villages and towns. —Geology-/SDSU [Spelling mistakes corrected by FEWW.]
William Ashcroft painting “On the Banks of the River Thames” in London, November 26, 1883 [Exactly three months after Krakatoa’s cataclysmic 1883 eruption.]
The Krakatoa eruption affected the climate driving the weather patterns wild for the next 5 years. Average global temperatures fell by about 1.2 °C in the following years, returning to normal only in 1888.
Krakatoa Image by Landsat Pathfinder Project (Dated May 18, 1992)
Anak Krakatau’s most recent eruptive episode began in 1994, with near continuous Strombolian eruptions, punctuated by larger explosions. In its most recent eruption, which began in April 2008, the volcano released hot gases, rocks, and lava. Scientists monitoring the volcano have warned people to stay out of a 3 km zone around the island. By and large, the eruptions are Vulcanian, helping to slowly build the island with ash, lava and pumice at an average rate of about 60 cm per month.
Fearing an imminent eruption, Volcanological Survey of Indonesia raised Anak’s eruption alert level to Orange on May 6, 2009.
SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(9 September – 15 September 2009)
New activity/unrest:
News From GVP:
- PHIVOLCS reported that 11 earthquakes from Mayon were detected during 14-15 September. On 15 September, three ash explosions produced a brownish plume that rose no more than 700 m above the crater and drifted SW.
- On 11 September, KVERT reported strong explosions from Shiveluch. Based on interpretations of seismic data, ash plumes rose to an altitude greater than 15 km (49,200 ft) a.s.l. The seismic network then detected eight minutes of pyroclastic flows from the lava dome; resulting plumes rose to an altitude of approximately 10 km (32,800 ft) a.s.l. —GVP
Tafu-Maka
A bathymetric map prepared during a NOAA Vents Program November 2008 expedition shows two submarine volcanoes, Tafu (Tongan for “source of fire”) and Maka (Tongan for “rock”). The volcanoes lie along a NE-SW-trending ridge on the southern part of the back-arc NE Lau Spreading Center (NELSC). The November 2008 expedition discovered submarine hydrothermal plumes consistent with very recent (days to weeks?) submarine lava effusion from Maka volcano. Image courtesy of NOAA Vents Program, 2008. Caption: GVP.
Ongoing Activity:
- Bagana, Bougainville (PNG)
- Barren Island, Andaman Is
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Chaitén, Southern Chile
- Dukono, Halmahera
- Fuego, Guatemala
- Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
- Pacaya, Guatemala
- Popocatépetl, México
- Rabaul, New Britain
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu
- Santa María, Guatemala
- Slamet, Central Java (Indonesia)
- Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 8:30 AM HST (Wednesday, September 16, 2009 18:30 UTC)
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: The third DI event in a week started yesterday morning and switched to DI inflation overnight. Moderate glow was visible after dark from the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent (summit). Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava from the TEB vent (east rift zone) flows through tubes to the ocean and feeds surface flows.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit:
Glow was visible from the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent overnight. This morning, trade winds are blowing the plume, denser than yesterday morning, to the southwest over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 900 tonnes/day on September 11, which is well above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Very small amounts of ash-sized rock dust waft up from the vent and are deposited nearby on the crater rim.
This Quicktime movie shows two active vents on the floor of the Halema`uma`u cavity. Lava is just below the rim of the two vents, creating frequent spattering which falls around their rims. Within the larger of the two (on the right), lava can be seen vigorously sloshing. For scale, these vents are about 10 yards wide. The first half of the movie is shown in normal mode, with the second half shown in ‘nightshot’ mode.
The summit tiltmeter network recorded the third DI event in a week with deflation just before 8 am yesterday and inflation just after midnight last night. The GPS network, which is less sensitive than the tiltmeter network, recorded less than 2 cm of contraction over the last 3 months with brief periods of extension coinciding with strong DI inflation on September 1-2 and 11-12; they recorded contraction since 9/13.
Seismic tremor levels remain elevated; two weak hybrid earthquakes followed by 15-20 minutes of sustained tremor were recorded starting around 7:30 pm last night. The number of RB2S2BL earthquakes continued to increase slightly but remained below background levels. Six earthquakes were recorded beneath Kilauea – three beneath the summit caldera, two deep quakes below the lower southwest rift zone, and one on south flank faults. —HVO
- Videos and Images are available at: HVO
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Posted in Chaiten, FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast, island of Java, Sumatra, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: Halema`uma`u, Ka`u Desert, Kilauea summit, Krakatoa, Kīlauea, Langila, Mayon, on the banks of the River Thames, Shiveluch, Supervolcanoes, Volcanic Activity Report, VolcanoWatch, VolcanoWatch Weekly | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on August 28, 2009
Volcanic Activity Report: 19 August – 25 August 2009
VOW: Koryaksky
Koryaksky Volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula released a plume on August 27, 2009, caught by MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The volcano has released intermittent ash and/or steam plumes late August.
This true-color image shows a pale plume, which consists primarily of water vapor, blowing away from the summit east-northeast, toward the Bering Sea.
Vostok Media reported simultaneous activity at six Kamchatka volcanoes, describing the first concurrent unrest in 60 years as rare. NASA image courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Michon Scott. [Edited by FEWW.]
New activity/unrest:
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
KORYAKSKY Eastern Kamchatka 53.320°N, 158.688°E; summit elev. 3,456 m
KVERT reported that during 14-21 August seismic activity from Koryaksky was slightly above background levels. During 13-16 August, gas-and-steam plumes rose to altitudes of 3.5-5 km (11,500-16,400 ft) a.s.l. Based on visual observations during 16-20 August, gas-and-steam plumes containing ash rose to altitudes of 3.5-4.2 km (11,500-13,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions. Ash plumes were also seen in satellite imagery, drifting 215 km E and W. On 23 August, a probable ash plume detected in satellite imagery drifted 50 km ESE. During 24-25 August, seismicity increased; more than 100 earthquakes were recorded. The Level of Concern Color Code remained at Orange.
Geologic Summary. The large symmetrical Koryaksky stratovolcano is the most prominent landmark of the NW-trending Avachinskaya volcano group, which towers above Kamchatka’s largest city, Petropavlovsk. Erosion has produced a ribbed surface on the eastern flanks of the 3456-m-high volcano; the youngest lava flows are found on the upper western flank and below SE-flank cinder cones. No strong explosive eruptions have been documented during the Holocene. Extensive Holocenefissure vents about 3900-3500 years ago reached Avacha Bay. Only a few moderate explosive eruptions have occurred during historical lava fields on the western flank were primarily fed by summit vents; those on the SW flank originated from flank vents. Lahars associated with a period of lava effusion from south- and SW-flank time. Koryaksky’s first historical eruption, in 1895, also produced a lava flow. (Source: GVP).
Notes:
Based on information from the Tegucigalpa MWO, the Washington VAAC reported that ash was detected within 15 km of Fuego on 19 August. According to INSIVUMEH, rumbling sounds were accompanied by incandescent tephra ejected 75 m high on 21 August. (Source: GVP).
Ongoing Activity:
- Bagana, Bougainville
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Chaitén, Southern Chile
- Fuego, Guatemala
- Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
- Popocatépetl, México
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu
- Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
- Tungurahua, Ecuador
- Ubinas, Perú
Related Links:
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Volcanic Activity Report, Volcano Hazard, VolcanoWatch, volcanism, volcanoes. Tagged: Chaiten, Kliuchevskoi, Koryaksky, Kīlauea, Pagan, Reventador, Sumatra, talang.
Posted in Volcanic Activity Report, volcanism, Volcano Hazard, volcanoes, VolcanoWatch | Tagged: Bagana, Fuego, Holocenefissure, Koryaksky, Kīlauea, Tungurahua | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on August 22, 2009
Volcanic Activity Report: 12 August-18 August 2009
VoW: Talang
The Indonesian volcano Talang on the island of Sumatra had been dormant for centuries when, in April 2005, it suddenly rumbled to life. A plume of smoke rose 1000 meters high and nearby villages were covered in ash. Fearing a major eruption, local authorities began evacuating 40,000 people. Caption: James A. Phillips, NASA.
And just to confuse the readers a little, the following caption is by volcano.oregonstate.edu
Talang is a stratovolcano with 8 confirmed eruptions between 1833 and 1968. The volcano may have had a phreatic eruption in 1986 but the activity has not been confirmed. Most of the eruptions are moderate in size (VEI=2) and explosive. Eruptions in 1833, 1843, 1845, and 1876 were from flank vents. An eruption in 1967 and two different eruptions in 1968 were from radial fissures. The distance from the city of Padang to Talang is about 35 km. Image courtesy of the Landsat Pathfinder Project.
TALANG
Country: Indonesia
Region: Sumatra
Last Known Eruption: 2007
Summit Elevation: 2,597 m (8,520 feet)
Latitude: 0.978°S (0°58’42″S)
Longitude: 100.679°E (100°40’46″E)
Source: GVP
Talang, which forms a twin volcano with the extinct Pasar Arbaa volcano, lies ESE of the major city of Padang and rises NW of Dibawah Lake. Talang has two crater lakes on its flanks; the largest of these is 1 x 2 km wide Danau Talang. Most historical eruptions have not occurred from the summit of the volcano, which lacks a crater. Historical eruptions from Gunung Talang volcano have mostly involved small-to-moderate explosive activity first documented in the 19th century that originated from a series of small craters in a valley on the upper NE flank. Photo by Ruska Hadian, 1986 (Volcanological Survey of Indonesia). Caption: GVP.
Authorities raise Mt. Talang alert level to highest
The vulcanology and disaster mitigation office in West Sumatra has raised the alert status for Mt. Talang to the highest level following a 6.9-magnitude earthquake and a series of aftershocks that struck the province.
Vulcanologist Dalipa Marjusi said Tuesday the tremors had sparked a volcanic earthquake and temblors, although eruption of the volcano remained undetected.
“Since Sunday’s earthquake we have recorded 1,600 volcanic quakes and 700 tectonic quakes, but only 23 of them were felt,” Dalipa said.
Fog has blanketed the summit of the 2,597-meter volcano for the last two days, making it difficult to see ash or lava that might be erupting from its crater.
The volcano last spewed hot ash last April.
A seven-strong team from the directorate general of vulcanology and disaster mitigation have arrived in Padang from Bandung to monitor the volcano’s activities.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/18/authorities-raise-mt-talang-alert-level-highest.html
Talang is the 6th listed volcano from top left.
New activity/unrest:
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
Notes:
IG reported that on 4 August seismicity from Reventador increased and periods of tremor frequently saturated the seismic stations. On 6 August, incandescent blocks were ejected from the crater. Thermal images revealed a linear area of higher temperatures, confirming the presence of a new lava flow on the S flank.
Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Washington VAAC reported that on 14 August a 2-hour-long thermal anomaly detected over Pagan was followed by a small emission. The emission, hotter than its surroundings, drifted NW and quickly dissipated. [Source: GVP]
Ongoing Activity:
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Chaitén, Southern Chile
- Dukono, Halmahera
- Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
- Popocatépetl, México
- Rabaul, New Britain
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu
- Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
- Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
- Ubinas, Perú
Related Links:
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Posted in Volcanic Activity Report, volcanism, Volcano Hazard, volcanoes, VolcanoWatch | Tagged: Chaiten, Kliuchevskoi, Koryaksky, Kīlauea, Pagan, Reventador, Sumatra, talang | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on August 14, 2009
Volcanic Activity Report: 5 – 11 August 2009
VoW: Kilauea
Since the vent collapse in late June, Kilauea’s summit plume had been wispy, translucent and low in SO2 content, resulting in improved air quality in Kona and Ka‘u. However, the summit vent has picked up in activity again this week. (Photo courtesy of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory). Source: Click Here.
New activity/unrest:
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
Ongoing Activity:
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Posted in Volcanic Activity Report, volcanism, Volcano Hazard, volcanoes, VolcanoWatch | Tagged: Bagana, Batu Tara, Ibu volcano, Kīlauea, Mayon Volcano, Mt Ibu | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on August 6, 2009
Volcanic Activity Report: 29 July – 4 August 2009
VOW: Kizimen
55°08’ N, 160°20’ E, summit elevation 2,375 m
Kizimen volcano is a Holocene edifice situated in Shchapina graben, on the southeastern edge of the Central Kamchatka Depression. The volcano is cut by NE-strking faults and deep gullies, which expose the whole suite of its rocks. The only historic eruption of the volcano (“fire flames and black smoke”) was reported by local hunters in 1928, however, it should have been a weak one since no deposits of this age are seen at the foot of the volcano. Copyrighted photo by Vikto Dvigalo. Caption: Holocene Kamchataka volcanoes; http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/volcanoes/holocene/main/main.htm
Kizimen is an isolated, conical stratovolcano that is morphologically similar to Mount St. Helens prior to its 1980 eruption. The summit of Kizimen consists of overlapping lava domes, and blocky lava flows descend the flanks of the volcano, which is the westernmost of a volcanic chain north of Kronotsky volcano. The 2376-m-high Kizimen was formed during four eruptive cycles beginning about 12,000 years ago and lasting 2000-3500 years. The largest eruptions took place about 10,000 and 8300-8400 years ago, and three periods of long-term lava dome growth have occurred. The latest eruptive cycle began about 3000 years ago with a large explosion and was followed by lava dome growth lasting intermittently about 1000 years. An explosive eruption about 1100 years ago produced a lateral blast and created a 1.0 x 0.7 km wide crater breached to the NE, inside which a small lava dome (the fourth at Kizimen) has grown. A single explosive eruption, during 1927-28, has been recorded in historical time. USGS
New activity/unrest:
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
Notes:
On 2 August, KVERT reported that seismic activity from Kliuchevskoi had gradually increased since 30 July, and continuous seismic tremor was detected. A strong thermal anomaly was seen in satellite imagery at night.
On 31 July, KVERT reported that seismic activity from Kizimen had increased since 11 July. Several tens of shallow earthquakes per day were detected. (Source: GVP)
Ongoing Activity:
- Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
- Chaitén, Southern Chile
- Colima, México
- Ebeko, Paramushir Island
- Fuego, Guatemala
- Galeras, Colombia
- Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
- Nevado del Huila, Colombia
- Pacaya, Guatemala
- Rabaul, New Britain
- Sakura-jima, Kyushu
- Santa María, Guatemala
- Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
- Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
Recent Kilauea Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE Wednesday, August 5, 2009 7:39 AM HST (Wednesday, August 5, 2009 17:39 UTC)
KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Activity Summary for past 24 hours: The Halema`uma`u Overlook vent remained dark; sulfur dioxide emission rates from Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents were elevated; lava from the TEB vent, on the east rift zone, flows through tubes to the Waikupanaha ocean entry west of Kalapana; surface flows are active on the pali.
Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit: No lava or glow has been visible within the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent since the July 4 DI event. This morning, the plume is white and opaque and is blowing toward the southwest. Tephra production by the vent has been very low over the past several weeks, mostly characterized by ash-sized rock dust from small wall collapses in the vent. No rock falls or gas rushing sounds were heard at the vent during this morning’s ash collection. (HVO)
Related Links:
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Global Volcanism, Volcanic Activity Report, Volcano Hazard, VolcanoWatch, volcanism, volcanoes. Tagged: Batu Tara, Kīlauea, Sakura-jima, Sarychev Peak, Suwanose-jima.
Posted in Batu Tara, Chaiten, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: Kamchatka volcanoes, Kizimen, Kliuchevskoi, Volcanic Activity Report, Volcano Hazard, VolcanoWatch | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on August 4, 2009
More Activity at Shiveluch Volcano
A true-color image of Shiveluch captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on August 3, 2009. The volcanic plume blows away from the summit, crossing the coastline and fanning out over the Bering Sea. The plume’s relatively dark color compared to nearby clouds suggests the presence of volcanic ash. One of Kamchatka’s largest volcanoes, with a 3,283 meters high summit, Shiveluch has undergone about 60 significant eruptions in the past 10,000 years. NASA image courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images of this region. Caption by Michon Scott. [Edited by FEWW.]
Young Shiveluch: 56°38′ N, 161°19′ E, elevation: active dome about 2,800 m, summit of Old Shiveluch 3,283 m
Shiveluch volcano seen from the southeast: Young Shiveluch with its active dome is to the left, and Late Pleistocene Old Shiveluch is to the right of the photo. Source: Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Kamchatka, Image may be subject to copyright.
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Posted in Bering Sea, Kamchatka volcanoes, volcanic plume, volcano images, volcanoes | Tagged: ash plume, Shiveluch, Shiveluch volcano, Volcanic Activity Report, volcanism | 2 Comments »
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