Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity

INFORMATION RELEASE 08-05

Sunday, January 30, 2005, 12:50 KST (00:50 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.

Ebeko, Paramushir Island, Northern Kurile 50°41'N, 156°01'E Elevation 1,156

m

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS GREEN.

Activity of the volcano has increased. A sudden ash explosion or series of

explosions up to 4 km (16,500 ft.) ASL, are possible at any time.

According to data by observers from Severo-Kurilsk, Paramushir Island,

activity of the volcano abruptly increased on January 27. Strong smell of

sulphuretted hydrogen was noted at Severo-Kurilsk (7 km from the volcano)

from 20:00 UTC on January 27. From 04:00 UTC on January 28, a white

gas-steam column raising up to 400 m above the volcano (1,560 m or 5,100

ft. ASL) was observed. From 04:00 fill 05:30 UTC on January 28, a very

strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen and sulphureous gas was noted at

Severo-Kurilsk.

According to information from the seismic station "Severo-Kurilsk", local

shallow earthquakes (M<2, 10-20 per day) were registered during last week.

Probably these earthquakes relate to Ebeko.

According to the observation at the summit of the volcano on January 28-29,

a yellow-grey column 5 m in diameter rose up to 300 m (or ~ 1,000 ft.)

above the vent at northern-eastern side of the active crater of the

volcano. Three ash layers of 2-3 mm of thickness 10 m from the vent were

noted. Ash deposits extended for about 500 m (0.3 mi) east into the active

crater of the volcano. A new turquoise lake (measuring 7x12 m) emerged in

the south-western part of the active crater.

The last eruption of Ebeko occurred in 1987-1990. Phreatic and

phreatomagmatic eruptions are typical for this volcano. Composition of the

rocks of the volcano varieties from andesibasalts to andesites.

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

Svetlana Droznina

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).