VONA Weekly
Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 09-12
February 23, 2012, 23:10 UTC (February 24, 11:10 KST)

KVERT IVS FED RAS monitor 30 active volcanoes of Kamchatka and 6 active volcanoes of Northern Kuriles.

SUMMARY OF AVIATION COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA
Real-time seismic data:
SHEVELUCH, KIZIMEN, BEZYMIANNY and KARYMSKY: ORANGE
GORELY: YELLOW
KLYUCHEVSKOY, 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

KVERT (IVS FED RAS) 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.

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

Explosive-extrusive-effusive eruption of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 32,800 ft (10 km) ASL could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Seismic activity of the volcano was mainly low last week. According to visual and satellite data, a viscous lava flow continues to effuse into the explosive crater of 2010 eruption. Moderate fumarolic activity of the lava dome was observing on February 19-23; clouds obscured the volcano on the other days of week. A weak thermal anomaly was noting over the lava dome all week at satellite images.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/shv/index.html

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

Effusive eruption of the volcano continues. Strong ash explosions up to 32,800 ft (10 km) ASL are possible. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Moderate seismic activity of the volcano continues. Video data and satellite imagery showed that the lava flow continues to effusing on the eastern volcanic flank. Hot avalanches accompany the lava flow effusion. A big hot avalanche from a left flank of the lava flow was observing at 23:15 UTC on February 21 on video camera. An ash plume rose ~3,280 ft (~1.0 km) above the lava flow. About 20 moderate hot avalanches were noted during day/night on February 22. Strong gas-steam activity of the volcano was noting at video camera all week. A big thermal anomaly was registering over the volcano all week at satellite images.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current_eng.php?name=Kizimen

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

Activity of the volcano gradually increases. Strong ash explosions up to 42,640 ft (13 km) a.s.l. possible during next two weeks. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Seismic activity increased on February 12 and remains the same till now: about 9-17 weak seismic events are registering each day. Two short episodes of volcanic tremor were registered on February 15 and 22. Probably an extrude of lava blocks at the top of the dome occur, that prepares a strong explosive eruption of the volcano. A strong and moderate gas-steam activity was observed at the volcano all week. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the volcano continues to noting on the satellite images; gas-steam plumes were extending to the northeast of the volcano on February 20 and 22.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/bzm/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 19,700 ft (6 km) ASL could occur at any time. Activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

Moderate seismic activity of the volcano continues; according to seismic data, possible ash plumes rose up to 11,500 ft (3.5 km) a.s.l. all week. According to satellite data, an ash plume was extending about 9.3 mi (15 km) to the east of the volcano on February 21; a thermal anomaly was registering over the volcano on February 16-21.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/krm/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 activity of the volcano remains some heightened. Ash explosions up to 19,700 ft (6 km) ASL are possible. Ash and aerosol plumes from the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft.

There was not seismic data from February 05 till present by technical reasons. According to visual data, a strong and moderate gas-steam activity of the volcano was observed all week. A thermal anomaly was registering over the volcano on February 19-21 at satellite images.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/grl/index.html


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

WEB CAMERAS IN KAMCHATKA (KIZIMEN VOLCANO, KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO, SHEVELUCH VOLCANO, BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO, GORELY VOLCANO, AVACHINSKY VOLCANO): http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php


IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

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


The KVERT Project is a cooperative program of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (IVS) FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Branch of Geophysical Survey (KB GS) RAS since 1993. KVERT scientists was available in the office from 8:30 AM till 6:00 PM (KST) 7 days in week in 2005-2011. Now KVERT scientists is available in the office from 8:30 AM till 6:00 PM (KST) in the work days and by phone during the evenings. KVERT (IVS FED RAS) analyses daily satellite imagery; information from remote scientific observation stations; real-time seismic data for 11 Kamchatkan volcanoes (data from KBGS RAS); 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