Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity

INFORMATION RELEASE 04-05

Friday, January 14, 2005, 12:20 KST (00:20 UTC)

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) received the following release via

e-mail from KVERT (Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruptions Response Team). Kamchatkan

Standard Time (KST) is 21 hours ahead of Alaska Standard Time. All time and

dates are UTC, if not marked specifically.

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA:

SHEVELUCH and KARYMSKY: ORANGE

BEZYMIANNY and KLYUCHEVSKOY: YELLOW

TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY

and GORELY: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILE:

ALAID: GREEN

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55 58'N, 160 36'E; Elevation 2,895 m

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS ORANGE.

Seismic activity decreased to background level after the explosive eruption

earlier this week. According to volcanologists’ experience, a lava flow is

probably now effusing at the dome of the volcano.

Seismic activity was above background levels on January 06-11. According to

visual observations, weak gas-steam plumes up to the 50-100 m above the

dome (9,700 - 9,800 ft ASL) were observed on January 06-08, extending 20 km

(or 12 mi) to the west on January 08. Clouds obscured the volcano at other

times. According to satellite data from the USA and Russia, a 1-3-pixel

thermal anomaly was registered over the dome on January 07-08. An extrusive

process probably occurred at the lava dome.

According to seismic data, an explosive eruption occurred at the volcano

from 08:02 till 08:45 UTC January 11. Probably an ash column rose up to

26,000 to 33,000 feet (8-10 km) ASL. According to visual observations, a

gas-steam plume for 40 km (or 25 mi) extending to the south-west was noted

on January 12. According to satellite data from Russia and the USA, an ash

cloud (~ 50 km in diameter) on the height ~8-9 km (or 26,400-29,700 ft) ASL

located 160 (99 mi) km from the volcano to the west-southwest direction was

noted at 10:14-10:18 UTC on January 11. Later, at 11:54 UTC, this ash cloud

(~ 30 km in diameter) located on the height ~ 7 km (23,000 ft.) ASL in 360

km (223 mi) to the west-southwest from the volcano. Seismic activity at the

volcano was not exceeding background levels on January 11-14. On January 12

at 02:35 UTC ash deposits for about 5,000 square km in visible area (from

Ichinsky volcano to Okhotskoye sea shore) were noted in satellite data.

1-3-pixel thermal anomaly was registered over the dome on January 12-13.

According to volcanologists’ experience, a lava flow probably effuses at

the dome of the volcano.

KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO: 56 03'N, 160 39'E; Elevation 4,750 m

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS GREEN.

Seismic activity at the volcano increased. There are many shallow

earthquakes and weak volcanic tremor is registered. There is a probability

of ash explosions from the terminal or a lateral crater of the volcano.

Seismic activity was at background levels on January 07-12. During January

12, seismic activity at the volcano increased significantly. About 21

shallow earthquakes of Ml=1.0-1.7 and weak volcanic tremor 1.5 x10-6 mps

were registered on this day. According to visual observations from Klyuchi,

weak gas-steam plumes were noted on January 06-08 and 12, extending to the

east from volcano on January 07 and for 5 km (or 3 mi) to the south-west on

January 12. Clouds obscured the volcano at other times.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56 38'N, 161 19'E; Elevation 3,283 m, the dome

elevation ~2,500 m.

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.

Unrest at the volcano continues. At any time and with little warning,

explosions could produce ash plumes that could rise as high as 8 km or

26,400 ft ASL, as well as localized ash fall.

Seismic activity was above background levels this week but it decreased

slightly. Weak shallow earthquakes at a depth 0-5 km beneath the active

dome and intermittent spasmodic volcanic tremor of 0.2-0.3x10-6 mps were

registered on all days. According to seismic data, from 06:15 till 07:45

UTC on January 13, several ash explosions up to 5 km (or 16,500 ft) ASL and

a pyroclastic flow probably occurred. Possible weak ash-gas explosions and

hot avalanches occurred all week. According to visual and video data,

gas-steam plumes up to 50-900 m above the dome (or 8,400-11,150 ft ASL)

were observed on January 06-08 and 12. Clouds obscured the volcano at other

times. According to satellite data from the USA and Russia, a 1-8-pixel

thermal anomaly was registered over the dome all week except January 9-11.

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54 03'N, 159 27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.

Volcanic activity probably continues. The danger of a sudden explosion or

series of explosions up to 4 km (or 16,500 ft.) ASL remains. A local ash

fall within a few tens of km around the volcano is also possible.

There are no seismic data from December 12 to present due to technical

problems. According to satellite data from the USA and Russia, a 1-6-pixel

thermal anomaly was registered over the volcano on January 06-07 and 13. A

possible gas-steam plume extending to the south-east was noted on January

07. Clouds obscured the volcano at other times.

PLEASE CONTACT AVO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

Olga Girina

Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruptions Response Team

IVS FED RAS, Piip Blvd, 9

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683006 RUSSIA

E-mail: girina@kcs.iks.ru

Tel. (41522) 58627

Sergey Senyukov

Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruptions Response Team

KEMSD GS RAS, Piip Blvd, 9

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683006 RUSSIA

E-mail: ssl@emsd.iks.ru

Tel. (41522) 59523

Tom Murray

Scientist-in-Charge, Alaska Volcano Observatory

4200 University Drive

Anchorage, Alaska 99508 USA

E-mail: tlmurray@usgs.gov

Tel. 907-786-7497

The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team is a cooperative program of

the Alaska Volcano Observatory (USA), the Institute of Volcanology and

Seismology FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Experimental and Methodical

Seismological Department GS RAS (Russia).