Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity

INFORMATION RELEASE 05-06

Friday, February 03, 2006, 10:30 KST (22:30 UTC on February 02)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA:

KARYMSKY: ORANGE

SHEVELUCH and BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW

KLYUCHEVSKOY, TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILE:

EBEKO: YELLOW

CHIKURACHKI and ALAID: GREEN

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54o03'N, 159o27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: ORANGE

Pilot reports and seismic data indicated that the eruption of the volcano with ash explosions from the summit crater continues. Ash explosions up to 6 km (or 26,300 ft.) ASL are possible.

According to observations by pilots of local airlines, ash plumes up to 4.0-5.0 km (13,100-16,400 ft.) ASL occurred at the volcano on January 30-31. Thermal anomaly over the dome was noted all week except January 28 when volcano was obscured by clouds. On January 30 and 31, ash plumes extended from the volcano for about 13-39 km to the south-west and south-east, respectively. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56o38'N, 161o19'E; Elevation 3,283 m, the dome elevation ~2,500 m.

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: YELLOW

Growth of the lava dome continues. Seismic activity did not exceed background levels all week but ash explosions up to 6 km (19,600 ft.) ASL could occur at any time.

One shallow earthquake was registered at the volcano on January 30. According to visual and satellite observations, a weak fumarolic activity and thermal anomaly were noted on January 30-31 and February 01. The volcano was obscured by clouds on the other time.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55o58'N, 160o36'E; Elevation 2,895 m

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: YELLOW

Seismic activity did not exceed background levels all week. Based on past experience with Bezymianny a viscous lava flow is probably active at the lava dome summit. There are no indications that an explosive eruption is imminent.

Fumarolic activity of the lava dome was noted on January 29-30 and February 01-02. Thermal anomaly at the lava dome was registered on January 29-30 and February 01.

EBEKO VOLCANO, Paramushir Island, Northern Kurile: 50o41'N, 156o01'E; Elevation 1,156 m

CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: YELLOW

Ebeko volcano is not monitored with seismic instruments. KVERT uses satellite monitoring and receives occasional visual observations from Paramushir Island. Moderate fumarolic activity of the volcano continues. A weak smell of sulphuretted hydrogen and chlorine gas was noted at Severo-Kurilsk on February 01. The danger of sudden ash explosions up to 3 km (9,840 ft.) ASL exists.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Olga Girina, KVERT, IVS FED RAS

E-mail: girina@kscnet.ru

Tel. (41522) 58627

Sergey Senyukov, KVERT, KB 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 non-commercial cooperative program of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO, USA), the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (IVS) FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Branch of Geophysical Service(KB GS) RAS (Russia). KVERT staff is available in the office from 8:30 AM till 6:00 PM (KST or KDT) and by phone during the evenings. KVERT uses daily satellite imagery, information from remote scientific observation stations, real-time seismic data for 10 volcanoes, andother information to monitor activity at Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanoes.

The official web-page of KVERT (the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FED RAS):

http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index.html

Archive of daily information KB GS RAS: ftp://emsd.iks.ru/pub/DATA/RTS/Volcanoes