Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
                         INFORMATION RELEASE 17-05
               Friday, March 11, 2005, 12:45 KST (00:45 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:
KLYUCHEVSKOY, SHEVELUCH and KARYMSKY: ORANGE
BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW
TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY:
GREEN

NORTHERN KURILE:
EBEKO: YELLOW
ALAID: GREEN

KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO: 56o03'N, 160o 39'E; Elevation 4,750 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.

Eruptive activity continues. Strombolian explosions are occurring
intermittently from a cinder cone in the summit crater. A lava flow extends
from this cone down the northwest flank of the volcano. Occasional vigorous
explosions from the summit crater and along the path of the lava flow are
producing ash plumes that reach as high as 7-8 km or 23,000-26,200 ft. ASL
and travel many tens or hundreds of kilometers downwind. The current
eruption of the volcano can intensify suddenly and poses a hazard to
aviation. The network of seismometers maintained by KEMSD does not allow
calibration of ash plume height from the seismic signal.

Seismic activity was above background levels all week. A great number of
shallow earthquakes and 4 earthquakes of Ml=1.5-2.0 were recorded. Ash-gas
plumes rose up to 2,500 m above the crater (or 23,800 ft ASL) and extended
to the west on March 04 and 06, to the north-west on March 05, to the
north-east on March 07 and to the east and north-west on March 08.
Strombolian bursts rose about 500 - 1,000 m above the summit crater (or
17,200 - 18,900 ft ASL). The northwest flank lava flow was notably active
on March 05-08. Strong phreatic explosions have occurred where the lava
flow comes into contact with glaciers sending steam and minor ash up to the
6,000 - 7,500 m (or 19,700 - 24,600 ft.) ASL on March 05 and 08-09. Some of
the stronger bursts produced ash falls at Kozyrevsk on March 06 and Klyuchi
on March 08 where dark volcanic dust covered the snow. Clouds obscured the
volcano at other times. According to satellite data from the USA and
Russia, a large thermal anomaly was registered at the volcano all week.
Ash-gas plumes extending for 250 km (or 155 mi) to the north-west on March
03, about 152 km (or 94 mi) to the north-west and for 300 km (or 186 mi) to
the west on March 04, for 80 km (or 50 mi) to the north-west on March 05,
more 200 km (or 124 mi) to the south-east on March 08 were observed.

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.

The growth of the Sheveluch lava dome continues. At any time and with
little warning, explosions could produce ash plumes that rise as high as 6
km or 20,000 ft. ASL, as well as localized ash fall, pyroclastic flows and
associated mudflows. Beginning on February 27, seismic station SVL (8 km
from the lava dome) failed. Strong volcanic tremor at nearby Klyuchevskoy
volcano makes it difficult to determine seismicity at Sheveluch from a
seismic station at Klyuchi (45 km from the volcano). However, based on the
persistent bright thermal anomaly, visual observations from Klyuchi and
25-years-volcanologists' experience of the study of this volcano, we infer
that extrusion of lava continues.

Gas-steam plumes rose up to 800 - 1,500 m above the dome (10,800 - 13,100
ft ASL) on March 04-05 and 07-08, extending to the west on March 04-05, to
the north-northeast on March 07 and to the west-northwest on March 08.
According to visual data from Klyuchi, possibly a new lava flow extrudes at
the dome. According to satellite data from the USA and Russia, a small
thermal anomaly at the dome and large thermal anomaly over the pyroclastic
flow (the result of the strong eruption of the volcano on February 27) were
noted all week. Ash-gas plumes extended to the north-west on March 05 and
09, and to the south on March 06 were observed. Clouds obscured the volcano
at other times.

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54  03'N, 159  27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.

Elevated seismic activity continues. The danger of a sudden explosion or
series of explosions of ash 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 was no seismic data on March 02-04. Seismic activity was above
background levels for the remainder of the week. The number of local
shallow events was about 130-150 per day till March 08 and about 230 on
March 09. According to the data from AMC, Yelizovo, an ash plume raising up
to 1,000 m above the crater of the volcano (8, 200 ft. ASL) and extending
to the north-west from the volcano was observed by pilots from aircraft N
26122 on March 04. According to satellite data from the USA and Russia, a
weak thermal anomaly was registered at the volcano on March 04 and 07-08. A
possible an ash plume extending to the north-northwest was noted on March
05.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55 58'N, 160 36'E; Elevation 2,895 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

Unrest at the volcano continues. Strong volcanic tremor at nearby
Klyuchevskoy volcano makes it difficult to determine seismicity at
Bezymianny, and KEMSD GS RAS is unable to accurately determine the state of
the volcano. However, based on the persistent bright thermal anomaly,
visual observations from Kozyrevsk and many years volcanologists'
experience of this volcano study, we infer that extrusion of lava
continues.

This week, gas-steam plumes rose up to 100 - 1,000 m above the dome (9,800
- 12,800 ft ASL) and extended to the north-west on March 04, to the
south-west on March 05, to the east on March 07-08. Clouds obscured the
volcano at other times. According to satellite data from the Russia, a
thermal anomaly was registered at the dome on March 03-08.

EBEKO VOLCANO, Paramushir Island, Northern Kurile: 50 41'N, 156 01'E
Elevation 1,156 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: YELLOW.

Elevated fumarolic activity of the volcano continues. Further, sudden
explosions of ash as high as 3 km (9,840 ft.) ASL remain possible.

According to data from seismic station at Severo-Kurilsk, some increase of
seismicity of the volcano was observed. About 20 seismic events of Ml< 2.0
were registered on March 01-09. According to KVERT observers from
Severo-Kurilsk, Paramushir Island, on March 04-05 and 08-09, white
gas-steam plumes rose up to 200-450 m above the active crater of the
volcano (4,400-5,300 ft ASL). Clouds obscured the volcano at other times.

PLEASE CONTACT AVO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

Olga Girina, KVERT, IVS FED RAS
E-mail: girina@kcs.iks.ru
Tel. (41522) 58627

Svetlana Droznina, KVERT, KEMSD GS RAS
E-mail: ssl@emsd.iks.ru
Tel. (41522) 59523

Tom Murray, Scientist-in-Charge, AVO
E-mail: tlmurray@usgs.gov
Tel. 907-786-7497

The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) is a cooperative
program of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO, USA), the Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology (IVS) FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Experimental
and Methodical Seismological Department (KEMSD) GS RAS (Russia).