Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 51-06
Friday, November 17, 2006, 10:30 KST (22:30 UTC on November 16)

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: 54œ03'N, 159œ27'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 10-11 and there was no seismic data in the other days. A number of weak local shallow earthquakes was about 130-420 per day in these days. Possibly, ash explosions from the volcano rose up to 2,5 km (8,200 ft) ASL on November 10-11. According to satellite data, ash plume extended from the volcano for about 35 km (22 mi) to the west on November 13. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55œ58'N, 160œ36'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 09, 11-12 and did not exceed levels of registration in the other days. According to visual and video data, a weak fumarolic activity was observed on November 10 and 13-15. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on November 10-13. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56œ38'N, 161œ19'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. According to visual and video data, a weak fumarolic activity was observed on November 13-15. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on November 10-12. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days.

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/