Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 27-08
Thursday, June 26, 2008, 21:30 UTC (Friday, June 27, 10:30  KDT)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR  CODES:

KAMCHATKA:
SHEVELUCH: ORANGE
BEZYMIANNY and KARYMSKY: YELLOW
KLYUCHEVSKOY, TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILES:
CHIKURACHKI, EBEKO and ALAID: GREEN

CURRENT CHANGES IN COLOR CODE:
KARYMSKY VOLCANO NOW IS AT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE: YELLOW

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 5403'N, 15927'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW
PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS ORANGE

Activity of the volcano decreased but ash explosions up to 6.0 km (or 19,700 ft.) ASL are possible. The explosive activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Seismic activity was at the background levels all week. According to seismic data, possible weak ash-gas explosions occurred at the volcano all days of week. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly was noted over the lava dome on June 20 and 25.

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 ORANGE

Activity of the volcano continues (new portions of viscous lava extrudes at the dome) and ash explosions up to 10 km (32,800 ft.) ASL could occur at any time. The activity of the volcano could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity was slightly above background levels all week: volcanic earthquakes and a weak volcanic tremor were registered at the volcano all week. According to seismic data, possibly ash explosions up to 3.8 km (12,500 ft) ASL occurred on June 21-22 and 25. According to visual data, ash plume up to 4.2 km (13,800) ASL was observed on June 25, and moderate fumarolic activity of the volcano - on June 24-25. According to satellite data, a bright thermal anomaly was registered over the lava dome on June 19-20 and 23-25. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days of week.

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. Sudden ash emission related to this activity could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Seismic activity of the volcano did not exceed background levels last week. According to visual data, a fumarolic activity of the volcano was registered on June 24-25. According to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly was noted over the lava dome on June 24. Clouds obscured the volcano in the other days of week.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE  CONTACT:

Olga Girina, KVERT, IVS FED RAS
E-mail: girina@kscnet.ru
Tel. (41522)  58627

Svetlana Droznina, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail: ssl@emsd.iks.ru  
Tel. (41522) 59523

John Power, Scientist-in-Charge, AVO
E-mail: jpower@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 Kuriles Volcanoes.

The official web-page of  KVERT (the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FED RAS): http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php
Archive  of daily information KB GS RAS: ftp://emsd.iks.ru/pub/DATA/RTS/Volcanoes
KVERT  Information Releases at the web-page of AVO (Alaska Volcano Observatory): http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo