Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 72-10
December 29, 2010, 23:10 UTC (December 30, 10:10 KST)

KAMCHATKA
Real-time seismic data:
KIZIMEN, SHEVELUCH and KARYMSKY: ORANGE
KLYUCHEVSKOY, GORELY and BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW
TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, USHKOVSKY, KORYAKSKY, AVACHINSKY, MUTNOVSKY: GREEN

No seismic data: ICHINSKY, VYSOKY, GAMCHEN, KOMAROV, KRONOTSKY, KRASHENINNIKOV, KIKHPINYCH, TAUNSHITS, MALY SEMYACHIK, ZHUPANOVSKY, OPALA, KSUDACH, ZHELTOVSKY, ILIINSKY, KOSHELEV, KAMBALNY, DIKII GREBEN, KHODUTKA and KHANGAR: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILES
No seismic data: EBEKO, CHIKURACHKI, ALAID, TATARINOV, FUSS PEAK and KARPINSKY: GREEN

CURRENT CHANGES IN AVIATION COLOR CODE:
KAMCHATKA
AVIATION COLOR CODE OF KIZIMEN IS ORANGE

KIZIMEN VOLCANO (1000-23)
55°08'N, 160°19'E; Elevation 8,151 ft (2,485 m)
CURRENT AVIATION COLOR CODE IS
ORANGE
PREVIOUS AVIATION COLOR CODE IS
RED


Explosive eruption of Kizimen Volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 10 km (or 32,800 ft) ASL possible at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the lava dome was registered all week. Based on the thermal anomaly and volcanological experience, it is possible that a lava flow is active at the surface. Ash plumes extending about 162 km (100 mi) to the west from the volcano were noted at satellite images on December 27-28.

Probably ash explosions will raise up to 10 km ASL next several days.

*****
History of Kizimen eruptions unknown. We have scanty data about only one eruption in 1928-1929. Probably moderate explosive (or explosive-effusive) eruption was in that time. Tephrachronological data point out several catastrophic eruptions in evolution of this volcano.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/kzm/index.html


SHEVELUCH VOLCANO (1000-27)
56°38'N, 161°19'E; Elevation 3,283 m, the dome elevation ~8,200 ft (~2,500 m)
AVIATION COLOR CODE IS
ORANGE

Growth of the lava dome and ash emission constrained with this continues. Ash explosions up to 10 km (or 32,800 ft) ASL could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Moderate seismic activity of the volcano continues. Based on seismicity, it is possible that ash plumes rose up to 5.9 km (19,400 ft) ASL on December 24. According to visual data, moderate gas-steam activity of the volcano was observed on December 23-24 and 28. Ash explosions were noted on December 24: ash plumes rose up to 4.5 km (14,800 ft) ASL. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days of week. According to satellite data, bright thermal anomaly over the lava dome was registered on December 23-24 and 27-28. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days of week.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/shv/index.html

KARYMSKY VOLCANO (1000-13)
54°03'N, 159°27'E; Elevation 4,874 ft (1,486 m)
AVIATION COLOR CODE IS ORANGE


Explosive activity of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 6.0 km (or 19,700 ft) ASL could occur at any time. Activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity of the volcano was above background levels on December 23-26, and did not exceed background levels on the other days of week. Based on seismicity, it is possible that ash plumes rose up to 4.3 km (14,100 ft) ASL. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly was registered over the volcano on December 23-24. Clouds obscured the volcano on the other days of week.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/krm/index.html


KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO (1000-26)
56°03'N, 160°39'E; Elevation 15,580 ft (4,750 m)
AVIATION COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

Activity of the volcano decreased: gas-steam emissions were observing last week. Aerosol plumes could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity of the volcano was at background levels all week but weak volcanic tremor continues to registering at the volcano. According to visual data, strong gas-steam emissions were observing on December 27-28, clouds obscured the volcano on the other days of week.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/klch/index.html

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO (1000-25)
55°58'N, 160°36'E; Elevation 9,455 ft (2,882 m)
AVIATION COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

Growth of the lava dome of the volcano continues and aerosol plumes could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity of the volcano did not exceed background levels all week. According to visual data, moderate gas-steam emissions were observed on December 27-28; on the other days volcano was obscured by clouds. According to satellite data, a weak thermal anomaly was registered over the volcano on December 23-24 and 27-28. A temperature of the thermal anomaly gradually increased - a new explosive eruption prepares.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/bzm/index.html

GORELY VOLCANO (1000-07)
52°33'N, 158°02'E; Elevation 5,996 ft (1,828 m)
AVIATION COLOR CODE IS YELLOW


Seismic and thermal activity of the volcano remains high. This ongoing unrest may eventually lead to an explosive eruption. At present, aerosol plumes from the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity of the volcano was above background levels all week, volcanic tremor continues to be recorded. According to visual data, moderate gas-steam volcanic activity was observed on December 27-28, on the other days the volcano was obscured by clouds. According to satellite data, the volcano was obscured by clouds all week.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/grl/index.html


BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER 2010, KVERT WILL ASSIGN AN AVIATION COLOR CODE FOR 22 ADDITIONAL VOLCANOES OF KAMCHATKA AND THE NORTHERN KURILES. THESE VOLCANOES ARE NOT PRESENTLY MONITORED WITH SEISMIC INSTRUMENTS HOWEVER KVERT SCIENTISTS EXAMINED SATELLITE INFORMATION EACH DAY TO LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF VOLCANIC UNREST SINCE 2002. NOT ALL OF THESE VOLCANOES HAD ERUPTIONS IN HISTORICAL TIME, HOWEVER THEY ARE POTENTIALLY ACTIVE AND THEREFORE ARE OF CONCERN TO AVIATION.

INFORMATION ABOUT VOLCANOES OF KAMCHATKA AND THE NORTHERN KURILES:
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/volcanoes/index_eng.html

WEB CAMERAS IN KAMCHATKA:

KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO:
http://data.emsd.iks.ru/videokry/kly.jpg , http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/video_camera/Klyu.html
SHEVELUCH VOLCANO:
http://data.emsd.ru/videokry/svl.jpg
BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO:
http://data.emsd.iks.ru/videokzy/videokzy.htm
KORYAKSKY VOLCANO:
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/video_camera/koryak/koryak.htm
AVACHINSKY VOLCANO:
http://data.emsd.iks.ru/videokry/capture.jpg


IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Dr. Olga Girina, KVERT Project, IVS FED RAS
E-mail: girina@kscnet.ru
Tel. (4152) 29-78-90

Sergy Senyukov, KVERT Project, KB GS RAS
E-mail: ssl@emsd.ru
Tel. (4152) 431-831

Dr. John Power, KVERT Project, USGS
E-mail: jpower@usgs.gov
Tel. (907) 786-7426


The KVERT Project 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