Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic
Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 66-06
Friday, December 29, 2006, 10:30
KST (22:30 UTC on December 28)
SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR
CODES:
KAMCHATKA:
KARYMSKY and SHEVELUCH:
ORANGE
BEZYMIANNY and
KLYUCHEVSKOY: YELLOW
TOLBACHIK PLOSKY,
KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN
NORTHERN
KURILE:
EBEKO, CHIKURACHKI and ALAID: GREEN
CURRENT
CHANGES IN COLOR CODE:
BEZYMIANNY IS NOW AT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE
YELLOW
BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55œ58'N, 160œ36'E; Elevation
2,895 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW
PREVIOUS LEVEL OF
CONCERN COLOR CODE: ORANGE
Seismic
activity decreased to the background levels but growth of the lava dome
continues. Probably a viscose lava flow effuse The activity of the volcano
could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.
Seismic
activity was above background levels on December 21-25, and at background levels
in the other days. Ash plumes up to 4,5 km (14,760) ASL and avalanches were
registered on December 23. A paroxysmal explosive eruption of the volcano
occurred from 09:17 till 10:20 UTC on December 24. Large eruptive column rose up
to ~ 13.0 km (42,600 ft) ASL. According to satellite data, ash clouds extended
> 850 km (530 mi) to the north-east from the volcano on December 24-25.
According to the photo data by volcanologists, who flew around the volcano with
helicopter, a part of lava dome was destroyed during this
eruption.
According to visual and video data, a moderate fumarolic
activity of the volcano was observed on December 26-27. According to satellite
data, a thermal anomaly over the dome was noting during the
week.
SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56œ38'N, 161œ19'E; Elevation 3,283 m,
the dome elevation ~2,500 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE
Seismic activity of the volcano decreased on December 28, but remains
above background levels. Ash explosions up to 10 km (32,800 ft.) ASL could occur
at any time. The activity of the volcano could affect international and local
aircraft.
Seismic activity was above background levels last week. Several
tens of shallow earthquakes were registered at the volcano. According to visual
and video data, ash plumes rose up to 10.0 km (32,800 ft) ASL and extended to
the east directions on December 25-27 and to the north on December 28. According
to satellite data (AVO, KVERT, KB GS RAS), ash plumes and ash clouds extending
from 15 till 1500 km (9-923 mi) mainly to the east directions from the volcano
were detected on December 23-28.
KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54œ03'N,
159œ27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE
An explosive eruption of
the volcano, probably, 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, a number of weak
local shallow earthquakes was 100-130 per day. Possibly, ash explosions from the
volcano rose up to 2.0 km (6,542 ft) ASL. According to satellite data, a thermal
anomaly over the dome was noted on December 21-22.
KLYUCHEVSKOY
VOLCANO; 56œ 03'N, 160œ 39'E; Elevation 4,750 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN
COLOR CODE IS YELLOW
Seismic activity
of the volcano gradually increases. The activity of the summit volcanic crater,
possibly, could affect international and low-flying aircraft.
Seismic
activity was slightly above background levels during the week. According to
visual observations, a weak fumarolic activity of the terminal volcanic crater
was observed all days. According to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly was
registered over the volcano during the week.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Olga Girina, KVERT, IVS FED
RAS
E-mail: girina@kscnet.ruTel.
(41522) 58627
Sergey Senyukov, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail:
ssl@emsd.iks.ruTel.
(41522) 59523
Tom Murray, Scientist-in-Charge, AVO
E-mail:
tlmurray@usgs.govTel. 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.htmlArchive of daily information KB GS RAS: ftp://emsd.iks.ru/pub/DATA/RTS/VolcanoesKVERT
Information Releases at the web-page of AVO (Alaska Volcano Observatory):
http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo