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Archive for the ‘Batu Tara’ Category

Magnitude 6.8 EQ Strikes BANDA SEA

Posted by feww on August 28, 2009

Powerful Earthquake measuring 6.8Mw strikes Banda Sea

Magnitude 6.8 underwater earthquake struck Banda Sea about 200km SSE of Baubau, Sulawesi, Indonesia, at a depth of 633.2 km, on Friday, August 28, 2009 at 01:51 UTC, USGS/EHP reported.

10-degree Map Centered at 5°S,125°E

Banda Sea Ind
Earthquake Location Map. Original map: USGS EHP. Image upgraded by FEWW.

Details of this Earthquake

  • Magnitude: 6.8
  • Date-Time:
    • Friday, August 28, 2009 at 01:51:19 UTC
  • Location: 7.117°S, 123.444°E
  • Depth: 633.2 km
  • Region:  BANDA SEA
  • Distances
    • 200 km (125 miles) SSE of Baubau, Sulawesi, Indonesia
    • 275 km (170 miles) NE of Ende, Flores, Indonesia
    • 1005 km (620 miles) NW of DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia
    • 1845 km (1150 miles) E of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
  • Location Uncertainty:  horizontal +/- 7.3 km (4.5 miles); depth +/- 13.1 km (8.1 miles)
  • Parameters: NST= 69, Nph= 69, Dmin=470.3 km, Rmss=0.97 sec, Gp= 40°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7
  • Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
  • Event ID: us2009kwae

The earthquake occurred about 76km north of  Batu Tara Volcano, located on the tiny Island of  Pulau Komba in the Banda Sea.

Historic Seismicity (Mag 7+ since 1900)

Banda Sea Ind SeisHis 1900
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green

Tsunami Report:

There was NO tsunami reported, possibly because the quake occurred at a depth  of more than 633km.

Related Links:

Posted in Batu Tara, earthquake forecast, Earthquakes, Pulau Komba, seismic activity, seismic event report | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

VolcanoWatch Weekly [6 August 2009]

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:

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:

FEWW Links:

Global Volcanism, Volcanic Activity Report, Volcano Hazard, VolcanoWatch, volcanism, volcanoes. Tagged: , , , , .

Posted in Batu Tara, Chaiten, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

VolcanoWatch Weekly [23 July 2009]

Posted by feww on July 23, 2009

Volcanic Activity Report: 15 July – 21 July 2009

Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

VOW: Revisiting Mount Tambora Volcano, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia

Tambora
On April 10, 1815, the Tambora Volcano produced the largest eruption in recorded history. An estimated 150 cubic kilometers (36 cubic miles) of tephra—exploded rock and ash—resulted, with ash from the eruption recognized at least 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) away to the northwest. While the April 10 eruption was catastrophic, historical records and geological analysis of eruption deposits indicate that the volcano had been active between 1812 and 1815. Enough ash was put into the atmosphere from the April 10 eruption to reduce incident sunlight on the Earth’s surface, causing global cooling, which resulted in the 1816 “year without a summer.”

This detailed astronaut photograph depicts the summit caldera of the volcano. The huge caldera—6 kilometers (3.7 miles) in diameter and 1,100 meters (3,609 feet) deep—formed when Tambora’s estimated 4,000-meter- (13,123-foot) high peak was removed, and the magma chamber below emptied during the April 10 eruption. Today the crater floor is occupied by an ephemeral freshwater lake, recent sedimentary deposits, and minor lava flows and domes from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Layered tephra deposits are visible along the northwestern crater rim. Active fumaroles, or steam vents, still exist in the caldera.

In 2004, scientists discovered the remains of a village, and two adults buried under approximately 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) of ash in a gully on Tambora’s flank—remnants of the former Kingdom of Tambora preserved by the 1815 eruption that destroyed it. The similarity of the Tambora remains to those associated with the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius has led to the Tambora site’s description as “the Pompeii of the East.”

Astronaut photograph ISS020-E-6563 was acquired on June 3, 2009  [photo caption said acquired March 6, 2009] , with a Nikon D3 digital camera fitted with an 800 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 20 crew. The image in this article has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. Lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by William L. Stefanov, NASA-JSC.

New activity/unrest:

Ongoing Activity:

  • Bagana, Bougainville
  • Barren Island, Andaman Is
  • Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
  • Chaitén, Southern Chile
  • Egon, Flores Island (Indonesia)
  • Ibu, Halmahera
  • Kilauea, Hawaii
  • Makian, Halmahera
  • Rabaul, New Britain
  • Sarychev Peak, Matua Island
  • Semeru, Eastern Java (Indonesia)
  • Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
  • Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

FEWW Links:

Posted in Batu Tara, Chaiten, Komba Island, Sakura-jima, Sarychev Peak | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

VolcanoWatch Weekly [20 May 2009]

Posted by feww on May 21, 2009

Calm Before Volcanic Storm?

A quiet week for new volcanic activity, at least by recent standards. With Galeras excluded, for obvious reasons, there were only three new activities reported this week.

It’s interesting to note that the first mention of West Mata was apparently made in an entry on  Vents Program. The entry 2008 Expedition to Lau Basin appears to be dated November 27, 2008, but later updated, posted by John Lupton, Chief Scientist. Perhaps Mr Lupton could clarify whether his organization plays by “Las Vegas Rules.”

Our Thanks also to Dr. Erik Klemetti for acknowledging this blog as the main source of his entry on the Saudi Arabian earthquake swarm.  We would love to inspect Dr Klemetti’s doctoral thesis.

Volcanic Activity Report: 13 May – 19 May 2009

Source: Global Volcanism program (GVP) – SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

New activity/unrest:

VoW: Harrat Lunayyir (Volcanic Field)

See earlier entry on the Western Arabia Harrat Lunayyir VF


Harrat Lunayyir (Volcanic Field) Western Arabia

Harrat Lunayyir (Volcanic Field) Western Arabia. Image from Google Earth. Image may be subject to copyright.

Ongoing Activity:

Latest U.S. Volcano Alerts and Updates for Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 18:54 PDT (May 21, 2009 01:54 UTC)

  • Redoubt Activity – Color Code ORANGE : Alert Level WATCH

  • Kilauea Activity  –  Color Code ORANGE : Alert Level WATCH

  • Veniaminof Activity – Color Code YELLOW : Alert Level ADVISORY

  • Mauna Loa Activity – Color Code YELLOW : Alert Level ADVISORY

Related Links:

Tonga Related Links:

Posted in Batu Tara, Chaiten, Harrat Lunayyir, volcanism, volcanoes | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Weekly Volcano Watch: 9 April 2009

Posted by feww on April 9, 2009

Volcanic Activity Report: 1 April – 7 April 2009

Source: SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

New activity/unrest:

VoW: Vesuvius


An aerial photo of Vesuvius. Source: solarnavigator. Image may be subject to copyright.

Country: Italy
Region: Campania
Volcano Type: Somma volcano
Last Known Eruption: 1944
Summit Elevation: 1281 m (4,203 feet)
Latitude: 40.821°N 40°49’17″N
Longitude: 14.426°E 14°25’34″E



One of the world’s most noted volcanoes, Vesuvius (Vesuvio) forms a dramatic backdrop to the Bay of Naples. The historically active cone of Vesuvius was constructed within a large caldera of the ancestral Monte Somma volcano, thought to have formed incrementally beginning about 17,000 years ago. The Monte Somma caldera wall has channeled lava flows and pyroclastic flows primarily to the south and west. Eight major explosive eruptions have taken place in the last 17,000 years, often accompanied by large pyroclastic flows and surges, such as during the well-known 79 AD Pompeii eruption. Intermittent eruptions since 79 AD were followed by a period of frequent long-term explosive and effusive eruptions beginning in 1631 and lasting until 1944. The 1631 eruption was the largest since 79 AD and produced devastating pyroclastic flows that reached as far as the coast and caused great destruction. Many towns are located on the volcano’s flanks, and several million people live within areas potentially affected by eruptions of Vesuvius. Photo by Dan Dzurisin, 1983 (U.S. Geological Survey). Caption: GVP.

[Note: A somma volcano is a volcanic caldera in which a new cone  has grown. The name comes from Mount Somma, a stratovolcano that hosts the cone of Mount Vesuvius. Other examples of somma  include volcanoes on  Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia) and the Kuril Islands that extend from Kamchatka to the island of  Hokkaido, Japan.]

Index of monthly reports (GVP)

vesuvius|
Vesuvius Eruption photographed in March 1944. Image: John Reinhardt, USAAF.

FEWW Forecast: There is at least a 0.6 probability that Vesuvius may erupt by August/September 2009.

Ongoing Activity:

Posted in Batu Tara, Galeras, Kīlauea, Sakura-jima, Somma volcano | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

Posted by feww on April 2, 2009

Volcanic Activity Report: 25 March – 31 March 2009

Source: SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

New activity/unrest:

VoW: Bandai

Country: Japan
Region: Honshu Is (Japan)
Volcano Type:  Stratovolcano
Last Known Eruption: 1888
Summit Elevation: 1819 m  (5,968 feet)
Latitude: 37.598°N  (37°35’53″N)
Longitude: 140.076°E  (140°4’32″E)


One of Japan’s most noted volcanoes, Bandai-san rises above the north shore of Lake Inawashiro. The Bandai complex is formed of several overlapping andesitic stratovolcanoes, the largest of which is O-Bandai. Ko-Bandai volcano, which collapsed in 1888, was formed about 50,000 years ago. O-Bandai volcano was constructed within a horseshoe-shaped caldera that formed about 40,000 years when an older volcano collapsed, forming the Okinajima debris avalanche, which traveled to the SW and was accompanied by a plinian explosive eruption. The last magmatic eruption at Bandai took place more than 25,000 years ago, but four major phreatic eruptions have occurred during the past 5,000 years, two of them in historical time, in 806 and 1888.  Seen from the south, Bandai presents a conical profile, but much of the north side of the volcano is missing as a result of the collapse of Ko-Bandai volcano during the 1888 eruption, in which a debris avalanche buried several villages and formed several large lakes.
Akahani-yama (extreme right) is another Bandai stratovolcano. The forested ridge at the left foreground is part of an earlier Pleistocene debris-avalanche deposit. Photo by Lee Siebert, 1988 (Smithsonian Institution). Caption: GVP

FEWW Comment: Eastern Gemini Seamount or Mathew Island volcano may erupt by about June 2009.

Ongoing Volcanic Activity:

Elevated Volcanic Activity in the US [Source: USGS]

Wednesday, Apr 1, 2009 at 17:23:17 PDT.

  • Cleveland Alert Level=ADVISORY. Aviation Color Code=YELLOW. As of Apr 1, 2009, 12:22 ADT – No activity reported. (Change to current status occurred on Jan 2, 2009 12:52 ADT from Alert Level UNASSIGNED and Aviation Color Code UNASSIGNED ).
    For more information see http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Cleveland.php
  • Redoubt Alert Level=WARNING. Aviation Color Code=RED. As of Apr 1, 2009, 12:22 ADT – Continuous emissions of steam, volcanic gases, and minor amounts of ash continue at Mt. Redoubt. Altitudes typically below 15,000ft but as high as 25,000ft at times. (Change to current status occurred on Mar 26, 2009 09:43 ADT from Alert Level WATCH and Aviation Color Code ORANGE )
    For more information see http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php
  • Kilauea Alert Level=WATCH. Aviation Color Code=ORANGE. As of Apr 1, 2009, 08:29 HST- Elevated SO2 and some tephra from Halema`uma`u vent; elevated SO2 from Pu`u `O`o vent; lava in tubes to ocean. (Change to current status occurred on Jul 2, 2007 20:09 HST from Alert Level ADVISORY and Aviation Color Code YELLOW ).
    For more information see http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/activity/kilaueastatus.php
  • Mauna Loa Alert Level=ADVISORY. Aviation Color Code=YELLOW. As of Mar 27, 2009, 09:08 HST – Low level of unrest continues. (Mauna Loa has been at this Alert Level and Color Code since this system was implemented in 2005)
    For more information see http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/activity/maunaloastatus.php

Volcano Alert Levels & Aviation Color Codes defined at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem.

Posted in Bandai, Batu Tara, Colima, Redoubt, Reventador | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Volcano Watch No. 42

Posted by terres on October 23, 2008

15 – 21 October 2008

New Activity/Unrest:

Ongoing Activity:

This page is updated on Wednesdays, please see the GVP Home Page for news of the latest significant activity.

Posted in Akan, Batu Tara, Karymsky, Kīlauea, Popocatépetl | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »