Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION  RELEASE 07-09
Thursday, January 29, 2009, 22:28 UTC (Friday, January 30,  10:28 KST)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

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

NORTHERN KURILES:
CHIKURACHKI, EBEKO and  ALAID: GREEN

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

KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO; 56° 03'N, 160° 39'E; Elevation 4,750  m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW
PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS ORANGE

The activity of the volcano decreased. Ash plumes were not noted near the volcano last three days, however some danger of the volcano for international and low-flying aircraft remains.

Seismic activity was above background levels on January 25-27 and at the background levels on January 22-24 and 28.  Magnitude of volcanic tremor at the volcano has decreased rapidly from 15x10-6 mps on January 26 to 1.06x10-6 mps on January 28. Weak continuous spasmodic volcanic tremor and small amount of shallow earthquakes continues to registering. According to visual data, weak gas-steam plumes was observed on the volcano this week. According to satellite data, weak thermal anomaly over the volcano was noting all days.

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

The lava flow continues to effuse on the southern and northern  flanks of the lava dome. 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 above background levels all week. According to seismic data, probably ash plumes up to 7.0 km (22,960 ft) ASL on January 22 and up to 4.0 km (13,120 ft) on the other days  occurred at the volcano. Weak gas-steam activity was noted on January 23-24 and 26-27. According to satellite data, a big thermal anomaly was registered over the lava dome all week. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days.

KARYMSKY  VOLCANO: 54°03'N, 159°27'E; Elevation 1,486 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR  CODE IS ORANGE

Explosive activity of the volcano continues and 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 of the volcano was at the background levels all week. According to satellite data, weak thermal anomaly was registering over the volcano on January 23 and 24. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days.

KORYAKSKY VOLCANO; 53°19'N, 158°43'E;  Elevation 3, 456 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS  YELLOW

Moderate fumarolic activity of the volcano continues. Gas-steam and aerosolic plumes from the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismic activity of the volcano was at background levels all week. According to visual data, weak fumarolic activity was registering on January 23 and 26. Ash plumes were not registered on satellite images during the last month. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days.

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.

Seismicity of Klyuchevskoy volcano did not allow to detach a seismicity of Bezymianny volcano on January 26. Seismic activity of the volcano was at background levels in other days. A moderate fumarolic activity of the volcano was observed on web-camera on January 22-24 and 27. According  to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly was registering over the volcano this week exept January 27-28.

IF  YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sergey Ushakov, KVERT, IVS FED RAS
E-mail: ushakov@kscnet.ru
Tel.  (41522) 58325

Irina Nuzhdina, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail: ssl@emsd.ru
Tel. (41522) 59523

Dr. Tom Murray,  Scientist-in-Charge, USGS
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 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