A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun

2008/9 May be the Start of a New Period of Intense Global Volcanic Unrest

[SHIVELUCH: Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3,283 m]

Shiveluch Volcano in Kamchatka peninsula erupted at 08:00 local time on Friday (23:00 Moscow time, September 25) discharging a column of ash to an altitude of about 4.5km above sea level, Kamchatka office of the Geophysics Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences told Itar-Tass.  Shiveluch is one of the most active volcanoes on the Kamchatka peninsula.

KVERT had previously reported above background levels seismic activity at Shiveluch during 12-19 September. Seismic data analysis, video camera and visual observations indicated that “a small hot avalanche descended the SE side of the lava dome, producing an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 6.5 km, and drifted 100 km NE”, GVP reported.

Holocene Volcanoes in Kamchatka

Source of map:Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Kamchatka, Russia

[KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1,536 m]

Karymsky, another of Kamchatka’s volcanoes, also discharged ash to an altitude of about 3km Friday, possibly due to an explosion. This followed KVERT report for enhanced seismic activity at Karymsky during 12-19 September.

Kliuchevskoi

Klyuchevskaya Sopka [Kliuchevskoi,] Eurasia’s highest volcano (elevation of 4,700 m a.s.l.) was also reported as showing seismic activity that “considerably exceeded” the background level, with a total of 196 local quakes recorded during the previous 24 hours. Despite heightened thermal anomaly, no eruption was reported.

Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka’s highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring on the NE (seen here) and SE flanks of the conical volcano at altitudes of 500-3600 m. Photo by E.Y. Zhdanova (courtesy of Oleg Volynets, Institute of Volcanology, Petropavlovsk). Source and Caption: GVP)

Related News Links:

• Volcano on Kamchatka spews 4,5-km ash plume; no threat to nearby residential areas (Sept 26, 2008 –  Itar-Tass)

Related Links:

• Volcano Watch [No. 38]
• Volcanoes