Volcanoes Awakening Globally by Strong Seismicity

ILT

Interesting times: 25 volcanoes firing

Popocatépetl volcano erupts again shooting ash 3km into the sky

The 5,426-meter stratovolcano, Mexico’s most active volcano, erupted overnight ejecting a large column of ash into the air and spewing lava.

• Earlier Event

The latest eruption forced the authorities to close Puebla airport, located east of the volcano, urging residents to wear masks and avoid inhaling volcanic ash.

About 25 million people live within a 100-kilometer radius of the active volcano.

Popocatépetl Volcano (“smoking mountain” in Aztec) is North America’s 2nd-highest volcano. The massive stratovolcano stands 5,450m high and lies about 65 kilometers (40 miles)  southeast of  Mexico City (19.023°N, 98.622°W) in the eastern segment of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt.

Latest Volcanic Eruptions/ Recent Activity [AZ]

• Aso (Kyushu, Japan)
• Cleveland (Alaska)
• Kerinci (Indonesia)
• Klyuchevskoy (C. Kamchatka, Russia)
• Langila (New Britain – PNG)
• Pavlof (Alaska)
• Popocatepetl (Mexico)
• Sangay (Ecuador)
• Villarrica (Chile)

Ongoing Activity

• Aira Kyushu (Japan)
• Alaid (Kuril Islands, Russia)
• Chirpoi (Kuril Islands, Russia)
• Colima (Mexico)
• Dukono (Halmahera, Indonesia)
• Fuego (Guatemala)
• Karymsky (E. Kamchatka,Russia)
• Kilauea (Hawaii)
• Masaya (Nicaragua)
• Momotombo (Nicaragua)
• Sheveluch (C. Kamchatka, Russia)
• Sinabung (Indonesia)
• Soputan (Sulawesi, Indonesia)
• Telica (Nicaragua)
• Tengger Caldera (E. Java, Indonesia)
• Zhupanovsky (E. Kamchatka, Russia)

[Sources: AVO, HVO, USGS, CENAPRED, GVP and others.]

Volcano Eruption Alert: Pavlov Volcano Eruption Continues

Seismic tremor at Pavlov remains at very high levels: AVO

The eruption of Pavlov Volcano continues. It began around 4 pm AKDT on Sunday (00:00UTC). Maximum ash cloud altitude of 37,000 ft (~ 11,300m) above sea level indicated.

AVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

• Volcano: Pavlof (VNUM #312030)
  • Location: N 55 deg 25 min W 161 deg 53 min
  • Elevation: 8,261 ft (2,518 m)
  • Area: Alaska Peninsula Alaska
• Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING
• Current Aviation Color Code: RED
• Issued: Monday, March 28, 2016, 8:34 AM AKDT (2016-03-28/16:34UTC)
  Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory – Notice Number: 2016/A3

Volcanic Activity Summary:

• The eruption of Pavlov Volcano continues.
• It began around 4 pm AKDT on Sunday (00:00UTC).
• Seismic tremor remains at very high levels.
• Lighting associated with the ash eruption has been detected.
• Infrasound (pressure sensor) data from a sensor network located in Dillingham (400 miles or 650 km) also indicate sustained ash emissions.

Pavlof volcano in eruption, March 27, 2016. Photo courtesy of Colt Snapp, taken at 7:00 PM AKDT from a flight enroute to Anchorage, from Dutch Harbor. URL: http://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/image.php?id=93201

As of 7:00 AKDT (15:00 UTC) a continuous plume of ash is observed in satellite images extending for a distance of more than 400 miles (650 km) to the northeast over interior Alaska. SIGMET warning messages issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) Alaska Aviation Weather Unit indicate maximum ash cloud altitude of 37,000 ft above sea level. Please see the NWS web page for additional guidance and forecasts of ash movement. http://aawu.arh.noaa.gov/sigmets.php

Lava fountaining from the summit crater was observed throughout the night by mariners, pilots, and by residents in Cold Bay, located 37 miles (60 km) to the SW, . Volcanic mudflows are likely on the flanks of the volcano and could present a hazard in the local river valleys.

Recent Observations:  [Volcanic cloud height] 37,000 ft ASL in SIGMET
[Other volcanic cloud information] Extending for 400 miles to the NE as of 07:00 UTC.

Hazard Analysis:  [Mud flow] Mud flows on the flanks of the volcano are likely.

Satellite image showing strong ash signal (blue) extending more than 500 km (300 mi), north-northeast from Pavlof volcano, 4:19 am AKDT (12:19 UTC), March 28, 2016. Photographer/Creator:  Michelle  Coombs  URL:    http://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/image.php?id=93191

Remarks: Pavlof Volcano is a snow- and ice-covered stratovolcano located on the southwestern end of the Alaska Peninsula about 953 km (592 mi) southwest of Anchorage. The volcano is about 7 km (4.4 mi) in diameter and has active vents on the north and east sides close to the summit. With over 40 historic eruptions, it is one of the most consistently active volcanoes in the Aleutian arc. Eruptive activity is generally characterized by sporadic Strombolian lava fountaining continuing for a several-month period. Ash plumes as high as 49,000 ft ASL have been generated by past eruptions of Pavlof, and during the 2013 eruption, ash plumes as high as 27,000 feet above sea level extending as much as 500 km (310 mi) beyond the volcano were generated. The nearest community, Cold Bay, is located 60 km (37 miles) to the southwest of Pavlof.

Mt. Cleveland: Color Code YELLOW  Alert Level ADVISORY

Index map showing location of Pavlof volcano and other Alaska Peninsula volcanoes.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Location of Cleveland volcano and other Aleutian volcanoes with respect to nearby cities and towns.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Latest Seismic Activity along Aleutian Trench:
5.5 76km S of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-28 17:14:55 UTC 10.0 km
4.6 63km SSE of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-28 11:45:06 UTC 38.3 km
2.8 95km SSE of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-28 05:34:38 UTC 24.3 km
3.3 85km SSE of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 20:40:42 UTC 25.5 km
4.1 71km S of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 19:44:35 UTC 29.7 km
4.7 70km S of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 18:27:27 UTC 35.0 km
3.4 96km SSE of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 18:21:43 UTC 25.7 km
4.5 80km S of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 18:14:00 UTC 26.8 km
5.7 84km S of Nikolski, Alaska 2016-03-27 18:01:30 UTC 16.0 km

 

Cleveland and Kīlauea Remain at ORANGE Alert

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:

• Fuego, Guatemala
• Lewotobi, Flores Island (Indonesia)
• Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Sundoro, Central Java (Indonesia)

Ongoing Activity:

• Etna, Sicily (Italy)
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
• Popocatépetl, México
• Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, Central Chile
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Tengger Caldera, Eastern Java (Indonesia)
• Tungurahua, Ecuador

Related Links

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