Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Eruption Forces More Flight Cancellations

More flights from Sydney to New Zealand have been cancelled

All Qantas and Jetstar flights from Sydney to New Zealand have cancelled again as new clouds of volcanic ash from continued eruption at Chile’s Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano complex hits southern Australia’s airspace.

Qantas has reportedly cancelled up to a 100 domestic flights and eight trans-Tasman flights today, as of posting.

The ash has also severely disrupted Virgin flights, reports said. The ash could severely disrupt flight from New Zealand tomorrow.

Ash and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from Puyehue Volcano Complex eruptions. The Ash RGB is composed from data from a combination of the SEVIRI IR8.7, IR10.8 and IR12.0 channels. Copyright Eumetsat 2011. Click image to enlarge.

Movement of volcanic ash clouds from Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Eruption between 5 and 12 June, 2011. Credit: NOAA and EUMETSAT

Latest Advisory by VAAC BUENOS AIRES

FVAG01 SABM 210200 2011172 0202
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20110621/0200Z
VAAC: BUENOS AIRES
VOLCANO: CORDON CAULLE 1507-141
PSN: S4052 W07220
AREA: CHILE-C
SUMMIT ELEV: 1798M
ADVISORY NR: 2011/074
INFO SOURCE: GOES-12 GFS/HYSPLIT MODEL
ERUPTION DETAILS: CONTINUOUS EMISSION
OBS ASH DATE/TIME: 21/0100Z
OBS ASH CLOUD: SFC/FL150 MOV NE 15KT AREA BTN S4052 W07220 – S4000
W07000 – S4100 W06700 – S4030 W06300 – S3900 W06600 – S3900 W07000 –
S4052 W07220
FCST ASH CLD +06HR: 210800Z SFC/FL150 : S4052 W07220 – S3800 W07030 –
S3900 W06700 – S4000 W06300 – S4100 W06700 – S4052 W07220
FCST ASH CLD +12HR: 211400Z SFC/FL150: S4052 W07220 – S3800 W07200 –
S3900 W06800 – S4000 W06500 – S4100 W06200 – S4100 W06500 – S4030
W07000 – S4052
W07220
FCST ASH CLD +18HR: 212000Z SFC/FL150 : S4052 W07220 – S3600 W07300 –
S3800 W07100 – S3900 W06500 – S4000 W06100 – S4100 W06500 – S4000
W07000 – S4052
W07220
RMK: VA CLOUD AREA CAN BE IDENTIFIED IN MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE
IMAGERY
NEXT ADVISORY: WILL BE ISSUED BY 20110621/0800Z

VAAC Darwin

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2011, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532). Click image to enlarge.

Related Links

• Puyehue Ash: Seamless Satellite Imagery
• VolcanoWatch 16 June 2011
• Puyehue Eruption – Recent Satellite Images
• Puyehue Volcano Ash Clouding SH Skies
• Puyehue ash raises river temp, kills salmon stock
• Puyehue Volcanic Range Continues Ejecting Ash
• Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images
• Puyehue volcano update
• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes
• Airlines

Puyehue Ash: Seamless Satellite Imagery

Another bleeding edge satellite imagery by NASA

Now you see it, now you don’t! Satellite images of ash from Puyehue-Cordón Caulle

The image bands show the density of aerosols released from the eruption at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex as measured by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite between June 5, 2011, one day after the eruption,  through June 13. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.

CORDON CAULLE Eruption Update

• CONTINUOUS EMISSION OBS ASH: June 17, 2011 at 19:30UTC

• MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A LINE OF REMANENT ASH FROM PREVIOUS EMISSION AT FL140 (~ 4km) CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST 50KT (~ 90km/hr)

• [Source: BUENOS AIRES VAAC ]

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• Puyehue ash raises river temp, kills salmon stock
• Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images
• Puyehue volcano update
• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

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Puyehue Volcano Ash Clouding SH Skies

Continued Eruption at Puyehue Volcano Complex Wreaking Havoc in Southern Hemisphere

Eruption Details: CONTINUOUS EMISSION

Eruption Details from Darwin VAAC:
HIGH LEVEL ERUPTION, ASH MOVING EAST

Credit: NOAA and EUMETSAT 

Ash and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from Puyehue Volcano Complex eruptions. The Ash RGB is composed from data from a combination of the SEVIRI IR8.7, IR10.8 and IR12.0 channels. Copyright Eumetsat 2011. Click image to enlarge.

Source: NILU Institute, Norway. Image may be subject to copyright.

IDD41290
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 2011/06/13/ 00:00UTC
VAAC: Darwin

VOLCANO: Cordon Caulle 1507-141
PSN: S4031 W07212
AREA: Chile C
SUMMIT ELEV: 1,798M

ADVISORY NR: 2011/24
INFO SOURCE: MTSAT, TOULOUSE VAAC, AIREP
AVIATION COLOUR CODE: RED
ERUPTION DETAILS: HIGH LEVEL ERUPTION, ASH MOVING EAST

Airline Flights

Australian airline Qantas said it was too dangerous to fly through the thick clouds of ash drifting over the Pacific Ocean from  continuous eruption at CORDON CAULLE volcano in the Puyehue Volcano Complex, Chile. Accordingly, it has cancelled all its flights to and from Melbourne. The decision follows earlier flight cancellations in and out of Tasmania and most of of New Zealand.

All other airlines, with the exception of Air New Zealand, have also grounded flights in the region.

The logic-defying Air New Zealand is risking the lives of its passengers by worming in out of the ash clouds, trying to dodge the worst of the plumes. The airline said it was adjusting flight paths to steer aircraft below the ash!!

Related Links

• Puyehue ash raises river temp, kills salmon stock
• Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images
• Puyehue volcano update
• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

FIRE-EARTH Volcano Watch

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• World’s Dormant Volcanoes Firing
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [16 September 2009]

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Puyehue ash raises river temp, kills salmon stock

Hot pyroclasts from ongoing Puyehue eruption raise River Nilahue temp to 45ºC (113ºF)—a rise of 35ºC

Tens of thousands of tons of hot volcanic materials from the ongoing Puyehue eruption have raised the temperature of Nilahue River to 45ºC (113ºF)—a rise of 35ºC, compared with seasonal average—contaminating the water and killing a large number of salmon, Chilean Public Works Minister.

The area near the Nilahue and GolGol rivers basin was evacuated on June 10, 2011 after the two rivers overflowed their banks, blocked by volcanic debris. The river flow rose by more than five fold, from 30 cubic meters per second (cmps) to more than 160 cmps, the minister said.

Nilahue River Chile. The river originates in Cordón Caulle volcanic range and discharges into Ranco Lake. Credit: Hprmedina.

Buenos Aires VAAC said Puyehue activity had intensified Thursady/ early Friday, but released the following bulletin reporting ‘DECREASING ACTIVITY’ late Friday.

VAAC: BUENOS AIRES
 VOLCANO: CORDON CAULLE 1507-141
 PSN: S4052 W07220
 AREA: CHILE-C
 SUMMIT ELEV: 1798M
 ADVISORY NR: 2011/030
 INFO SOURCE: GOES 12 - GFS MODEL
 ERUPTION DETAILS: DECREASING ACTIVITY
 OBS ASH DATE/TIME: 10/1900Z
 OBS ASH CLOUD: SFC/FL150 S4052 W07220 - S4100 W07100 - S4145 W06800 -
 S4140 W06300 - S4300 W06300 - S4340
 W06700 - S4155 W07100 -S4052 W07220
 FCST ASH CLD +06HR: 110200Z SFC/FL150 S4052 W07220 - S4116 W06800 -
 S4130 W06510 - S4150 W06120 - S4335
 W06141 - S4325 W06740- S4052 W07220
 FCST ASH CLD +12HR: 110800Z SFC/FL150 S4052 W07220 - S4143 W06555 -
 S4150 W06020 - S4413 W06030 - S4355
 W06745 - S4052 W07220
 FCST ASH CLD +18HR: 111400Z SFC/FL150 S4052 W07220 - S4124 W06317 -
 S4025 W05547 - S4312 W05630 - S4350
 W06100 - S4367 W06720- S4052 W07220
 RMK: MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOW AREA OF REMANENT VA ASH
 FROM PREVIOUS EMISION
 SFC/FL140 MOV E 40KT TREND DISSIPATING AREA S3600 W05800 - S2800
 W05300 - S02900 W04500 - S3000 W04000 -
 S3300 W03900 - S3900 W04500 - S3500 W04300 - S3100 W04500 - S3000
 W05200 - S3600 W05800
 FCST ASH CLD+06HS: SFC/FL150 110200Z S3500 W05400 - S2700 W04500 -
 S2600 W04100 - S3000 W03800 - S4000
 W040 - S3300 W04200 - S3100 W04500 - S3500 W05400
 FCST ASH CLD+12HS: 110800Z NO ASH EXP
 FCST ASH CLD+18HS: 111400Z NO ASH EXP
 NEXT ADVISORY: WILL BE ISSUED BY 20110611/0200Z

Air Travel

Flights from several airports in Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil. remain grounded for a third day on Saturday.

“At least six international carriers suspend flights between Buenos Aires and cities in US, Europe and South America,” a report said.

“Many flights from airports in southern Brazilian cities such as Porto Alegre and Florianopolis – some 2,500km (1,550 miles) from the volcano – were cancelled on Friday,” according to another report.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Meanwhile, in the ski resort city of San Carlos de Bariloche,  workers removed about 15,000 tons of volcanic ash (600 truckloads) from the airport’s main runway on Thursday.  Authorities said the airport would remain closed at least until June 21, AP reported.

Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images

A fissure on Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic range opened on June 4, 2011, ejecting ash to a height of about 16km. Natural-color image captured by MODIS on the Aqua satellite moments after eruption began. Source: NASA-EO. Click images to enlarge.

Eruption at Puyehue-Cordón Caulle began on June 4, 2011. This natural-color satellite image was taken by the MODIS aboard Terra satellite on the early morning of June 6, 2011, when according to the Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Center the ash plume was reaching an altitude of about 12km above the summit crater.  Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.

Click animation link to view the transport of the plume from 1:45 pm local time June 4, 2011, until 10:45 am June 6, 2011.

Related Links

• Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images
• Puyehue volcano update
• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

FIRE-EARTH Volcano Watch

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• World’s Dormant Volcanoes Firing
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [16 September 2009]

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Puyehue Volcanic Range Continues Ejecting Ash

Puyehue continues to spew ash as volcanic seismicity re-intensifies: Reports

Chilean officials expand the evacuation zone around a volcanic complex as it continues to eject thousands of tons of ash each hour.

The national emergencies office (ONEMI) fears that volcanic ash and pumice could clog up rivers and waterways causing flooding, or trigger lahars, as rain hits the area.

The rain is expected to continue for at least several days.

“The forecast is for more rain on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” an ONEMI official told a local news agency.

Frame grab from a video clip taken June 6, 2011. Click HERE for the video link.

War of the Volcanoes: Golf-ball size pumice ejected in the eruption have landed as far away as 25 km from the volcano. Photo credit: Reuters/via BBC. More images …

Click animation link to view the transport of the plume from 1:45 pm local time June 4, 2011, until 10:45 am June 6, 2011.

Buenos Aires, Argentina – Volcanic Ash Advisories

• VA ADVISORY DTG: 20110607/1330Z
• VAAC: BUENOS AIRES VOLCANO: CORDON CAULLE 1507-15
• PSN: S4052 W07220
• AREA: CHILE-C
• SUMMIT ELEV: 1798M
• ADVISORY NR: 2011/014
• INFO SOURCE: GOES 12 – GFS MODEL ERUPTION
• DETAILS: CONTINUOUS EMISSION OBS ASH
• DATE/TIME: 07/1230Z OBS
• ASH CLOUD: SFC/FL180 VA CLD 35 NM WIDE LINE BTN S4052 W06630 – S4127 W07053 – S4200 W06956 – S4318 W06907 – S4432 W06905 FCST ASH CLD +06HR: 071930Z SFC/FL180 S4052 W07220 – S4130 W0550 – S4200 W06140 – S4400 W06130 – S4230 W06640 – S4052 W07220 FCST ASH CLD +12HR: 080130Z SFC/FL180 S4052 W07220 – S4100 W06700 – S4130 W063500 – S4230 W05800 – S4600 W05800 – S4310 W06454 – S4133 W06930 – S4052 W07220 FCST ASH CLD +18HR: 080730Z SFC/FL180 S4052 W07220 – S4000 W06700 – S4000 W06300 – S4300 W05400 – S4500 W05800 – S4200 W06400 – S4052 W07 220
• REMARKS: VA PLUME IS VISIBLE IN MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY AREA OF REMANENT VA ASH FROM PREVIOUS EMISION BTN FL160/230 AT S2555 W05636 – S2715 W05545 – S3028 W05628 – S3442 W05423 – S3750 W05000 – S3450 W05555 – S3021 W05746 – S2623 W05744 – S2555 W05636 MOV ESE 50K T NEXT ADVISORY: WILL BE ISSUED BY 20110607/1930Z

Related Links

• Puyehue Volcano Satellite Images
• Puyehue volcano update
• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

FIRE-EARTH Volcano Watch

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• World’s Dormant Volcanoes Firing
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [16 September 2009]

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Puyehue volcano update

Puyehue pauses, ash cloud persists

Argentine Patagonian resort town of Bariloche remains at red alert

The volcanic tremors  have dropped significantly, Chile’s National Emergency Office of was reported as saying. The tremors had averaged 240 per hour during the first 12 hours, but dropped to about 17 an hour on  Sunday.

Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Utility workers use bulldozers to remove large amounts of volcanic ash from Puyehue eruption carried across the Andes easterly winds and dumped on their city. Photo: Alfredo Leiva/Associated Press. Image may be subject to copyright.

Nearby residents are said to be extremely worried about the welfare of their cattle and other farm animals.

“Ash was dumped like a snowstorm. The city is covered in gray ash,” a Bariloche official, told Chile’s national TV.

“We’re trying to stop car traffic and ask that people stay at home and close their doors and windows to prevent the volcanic ash from coming in.”

Bariloche airport remains closed, and Aerolineas Argentinas flights to the area are cancelled.

Meanwhile, officials in the small Argentine Andean town of La Angostura announced that the town of 16,000 people was on “red alert,” urging the residents to stay at home and conserve water, a report said.

Related Links

• Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

Chile’s Puyehue volcano explodes

Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle erupted ejecting a 10-km high plume of ash into the air

“The Cordon Caulle has entered an eruptive process, with an explosion resulting in a 10-kilometer-high gas column,” state emergency office ONEMI reported.

The authorities were forced to evacuate at least 3,500 people from areas near the volcano.

A large cloud of ash was reported over the Patagonian ski resort town of Bariloche in the neighboring Argentina, about 160 km east of the volcano,   forcing the local airport to close.

“We’re trying to stop car traffic and ask that people stay at home and close their doors and windows to prevent the volcanic ash from coming in. The city’s airport was also closed,” an eyewitness told the local TV station.

“Ash was dumped like a snowstorm… The city is covered in grey ash.”

“Eyewitness Juli Kessler told the BBC she saw ‘big black clouds hanging over the Andes’ and ash dust lying on the road.”

Map of Chile’s volcanoes with the approximate  location of Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle volcano marked by FIRE-EARTH.

The governor of Chile’s Los Rios region was reported as saying that fire was seen in the volcano’s crater as a large plume of smoke billowed out.

“You can see the fire (in the volcano) and a plume of smoke, and there’s a strong smell of sulfur,” he told reporters.

The volcano is located about 840 km (522 miles) south of Santiago, the national capital. Its  last major eruption occurred in 1960, after a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck Chile about 260km directly north of the volcano.

Chile is home to about 2,000 volcanoes (world’s 2nd largest volcanic chain after Indonesia), of which 500 of are classified as active, with about 55 of them having erupted historically. Llaima and Chaiten, two other Chilean volcanoes, have erupted in the past few years.

Puyehue-Cordón Caulle

Location: Central Chile
Last Known Eruption: 1990
Summit Elevation: 2,236m 7,336 feet
Latitude: 40.590°S
Longitude: 72.117°W
Source: GVP

The Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex (PCCVC) is a large NW-SE-trending late-Pleistocene to Holocene basaltic-to-rhyolitic transverse volcanic chain SE of Lago Ranco. The 1799-m-high Pleistocene Cordillera Nevada caldera lies at the NW end, separated from Puyehue stratovolcano at the SE end by the Cordón Caulle fissure complex. The Pleistocene Mencheca volcano with Holocene flank cones lies NE of Puyehue. The basaltic-to-rhyolitic Puyehue volcano is the most geochemically diverse of the PCCVC. The flat-topped, 2236-m-high Puyehue volcano was constructed above a 5-km-wide caldera and is capped by a 2.4-km-wide summit caldera of Holocene age. Lava flows and domes of mostly rhyolitic composition are found on the eastern flank of Puyehue. Historical eruptions originally attributed to Puyehue, including major eruptions in 1921-22 and 1960, are now known to be from the Cordón Caulle rift zone. The Cordón Caulle geothermal area, occupying a 6 x 13 km wide volcano-tectonic depression, is the largest active geothermal area of the southern Andes volcanic zone. Photo by Klaus Dorsch, 2001 (University of Munich); caption: GVP

Inches of volcanic ash 100 miles away

Argentine resort city of San Carlos de Bariloche, about 160 km (100 miles) east of Chile’s Puyehue, seen covered by volcanic ash from the June 4 eruption. Photo Credit: Reuters/Trilce Reyes. Image may be subject to copyright. More images…

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