Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic
Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 08-06
Friday, February 24, 2006, 10:00 KST
(22:00 UTC on February 23)
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, CHIKURACHKI and ALAID:
GREEN
CURRENT CHANGES IN COLOR CODE:
EBEKO IS
NOW AT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE GREEN
EBEKO VOLCANO, Paramushir Island, Northern Kurile:
50o41'N, 156o01'E; Elevation 1,156 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE:
GREEN
PREVIOUS 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 sometimes chlorine gas is
noting at
Severo-Kurilsk. According to visual and satellite observations of this volcano,
no
significant changes at activity Ebeko were registered during several
months. Probable, an
activity of the volcano will remain in former levels and
an explosive eruption is not
imminent next weeks.
KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54o03'N, 159o27'E; Elevation 1,486
m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: ORANGE
Seismic data and satellite observations indicated that the
eruption of the volcano with ash
explosions from the summit crater continues.
Ash explosions up to 6 km (or 19,700 ft.) ASL
are possible.
Strombolian activity of the volcano continues. Big thermal
anomaly over the volcanic crater
was noted all week. Numerous ash plumes
extending about 11-117 km (6.8-72.5 mi) to different
directions from the
volcano were observed on satellite images. 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. A weak fumarolic activity
and thermal anomaly were
observed during the periods of visibility of the
volcano. Seismic activity did not exceed
background levels last week but ash
explosions up to 6 km (19,700 ft.) ASL could occur at any
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 last week.
Based on past experience with
Bezymianny a viscous lava flow is probably
active at the lava dome summit. Fumarolic activity
of the lava dome and small
thermal anomaly were noted on February 16-17 and 20. There are no
indications
that an explosive eruption is imminent.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE
CONTACT:
Tatiana Kohzevnikova, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail:
ssl@emsd.iks.ruTel.
(41522) 59523
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, and other
information to monitor activity at Kamchatkan and
Northern Kurile Volcanoes.