Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 14-09
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 23:00 UTC (Friday, March 13, 11:00 KST)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

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

NORTHERN KURILES:
CHIKURACHKI, EBEKO and ALAID: GREEN

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 eastern 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 6.2 km (20,300 ft) ASL occurred at the volcano. According to visual data, ash plumes from hot avalanches rose up to 6.0 km (19,700 ft) ASL and extended to the SE from the volcano on March 09-10. Strong and moderate fumarolic activity was observed all week. An incandescence of the lava dome was observed by night. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly was registered over the lava dome all week. Ash plumes extending about 175 km (109 mi) to the SE from the volcano were noted on March 07 and 10-11.

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

Activity of the volcano continues. Aerosolic plumes containing ash continues to observing at the volcano. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismic activity of the volcano was above background levels on March 05-06 and 08, and at background levels during other days of the week. According to visual data, aerosolic plumes containing small amount of ash raising up to 4.0 km (13,200 ft) ASL and extending to the different directions from the volcano were observed all week. There were small amount of ash deposits on the snow near the volcano. According to satellite data, aerosolic plumes containing ash extended  > 338 km (> 210 mi) to the different directions from the volcano all week.

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 was above background levels all week. According to seismic data, probably ash plumes up to 3.0 km (9,800 ft) ASL occurred at the volcano. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly was registered over the volcano on March 06-12. Ash plumes extended about 180 km (111 mi) to the different directions from the volcano all week.

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

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

Seismic activity was at background levels all week. According to visual data, a weak and moderate fumarolic activity was observed at the volcano last week. According to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly was registered over the volcano on March 07-12.

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 didn't exceeded background levels last week. According to visual data, a weak fumarolic activity of the volcano was observed on March 07-08 and 10. Clouds obscured the volcano during other days. According to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly over the dome was registered on March 07-12.


IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

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

Tatiana Kozhevnikova, 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