Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile
Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 50-06
Friday, November 10, 2006,
10:30 KST (22:30 UTC on November 09)
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: 54њ03'N, 159њ27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT
LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.
A moderate explosive eruption of the volcano 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.
Seismic activity was above background levels on November 02-03 and 07 and
there was no seismic data in the other days. A number of weak local shallow
earthquakes was about 200-400 per day. Possibly, ash explosions from the
volcano rose up to 3 km (9,840 ft) ASL this week. According to satellite data, a
big thermal anomaly over the volcanic crater was noted on November 02-03 and
05-07. Ash plumes extended from the volcano for about 100 km (62 mi) to the
north-east on November 02 and for about 22-220 km (14-136 mi) to the south-east
on November 06-07. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days.
BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55њ58'N, 160њ36'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 was at background levels on November 03-04, 06 and 08 and
did not exceed levels of registration in the other days. According to visual and
video data, a fumarolic activity was observed on November 03, 06-08. A thermal
anomaly over the dome was noted on November 02, 05 07 and 09. Clouds obscured
the volcano in the other days.
SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56њ38'N, 161њ19'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 last week. A weak continuous
spasmodic volcanic tremor was registered on November 02. According to visual and
video data, a fumarolic activity was observed on November 06-07.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:
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.