Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 39-06
Friday, August 25, 2006, 10:35 KDT (21:35 UTC on August 24)

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

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

Seismic activity of the volcano decreased but the eruption of Karymsky with ash explosions from the summit crater continues. Ash explosions up to 6 km (or 19,700 ft.) ASL are possible. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

According to seismic data, ash plumes rose up to 3.5 km (11,500 ft.) ASL this week. A number of local shallow earthquakes was 30-100 per day. Spasmodic volcanic tremor was registering on August 17. A thermal anomaly over the volcanic crater was noted on August 23. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days.

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

Growth of the lava dome continues. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Seismic activity of the volcano was at background levels. Shallow earthquakes were registered all week. A fumarolic activity of the lava dome was noted during periods of visibility of the volcano.

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 YELLOW

Growth of the lava dome continues. Ash explosions up to 6 km (19,700 ft.) ASL could occur at any time. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Seismic activity was at background levels all week. Five weak earthquakes were registered at the volcano last week. A fumarolic activity of the lava dome was observed during periods of visibility of the volcano. A thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on August 23.

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 Survey (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.

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: http://emsd.iks.ru/~ssl/Volcanoes/