Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 53-06
Friday, December 01, 2006, 10:30 KST (22:30 UTC on November 30)

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.

There was no seismic data during the past week due to technical reasons. According to satellite data, a big thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on November 26-27 and 29. Ash plumes extended from the volcano for about 100-146 km (62-91 mi) to the north-east on November 29. 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 slightly above background levels on November 25, 27 and at background levels in the other days. According to visual and video data, a fumarolic activity of the volcano was observed on November 27-28. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on November 26-28. 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 on November 23-24 and 27-28 and did not exceed levels of registration in the other days. According to visual and video data, a fumarolic activity of the volcano was observed on November 27-28. 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): ttp://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index.html
Archive of daily information KB GS RAS:
http://emsd.iks.ru/~ssl/Volcanoes/