Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 14-05
Monday, February 28, 2005, 13:05 KST (01:05 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.

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 RED.
PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS ORANGE.

According to seismic data, a large eruptive event began at 6:25 UTC on
February 27 at Sheveluch volcano. From 11:30 UTC this day the seismic
station SVL (8 km from the lava dome) was not working. At 11:40 UTC
this day, an intensification of seismic signal was noted. The large
seismic event was registered from 6:25 till 13:00 UTC on February 27.
Ash deposits were noted at Klyuchi at 21:00 on February 27. A
thickness of ash with snow was about 1 centimetre. Clouds obscured the
volcano all time. According to satellite data from Russia (NOAA 16 at
16:56 UTC on February 27), a 45-pixel thermal anomaly was registered
near the dome (band 3). Probably this anomaly connect with a large
pyroclastic flow on the south-western flank of the volcano. An ash
cloud of length about 45 km (28 mi) was noted in 13-16 km to the
north-west from the volcano at this time (band 4-5).

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).