VONA/Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity

Issued: 20120303/0530Z

VOLCANO: BEZYMIANNY (1000-25)

Current AVIATION COLOR CODE: RED

Source: KVERT

Notice Number: 12-12

Volcano Location: 55°58'N, 160°36'E;

Area: Kamchatka, Russia

Summit Elevation: 9,496 ft (2,895 m)


Prognosis of Volcanic Activity: Heightened activity of the volcano is reserving. Strong ash explosions up to 42,640 ft (13 km) a.s.l. possible at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Volcanic Activity Summary: Seismic activity increased on February 12 and remained the same till February 29: about 7-19 weak seismic events were registering each day. There were 40 weak seismic events on March 01 and 25 events on March 02. Weak seismic events continues to recording on March 03. Long episode of volcanic tremor was registered on March 02. Probably an extrude of lava blocks at the top of the dome occur, that prepares a strong explosive eruption of the volcano. According to satellite data, a size and a brightness of a thermal anomaly abrupt increased on March 02 (at 09:35 UTC on March 02, a temperature of the thermal anomaly was +53.4 degrees of Celsius). Density clouds obscured the volcano on March 02-03.

Volcanic cloud height: No ash cloud produced at present.

Other volcanic cloud information: No ash cloud produced at present.

Remarks: Bezymianny volcano is one the most active volcano of the world. In 1955, for the first time in history, Bezymianny started to erupt and after six months it produced a catastrophic eruption with the total volume of eruptive products over 3 km3. The lava dome began to grow in the explosive caldera immediately after the catastrophe and continues at now. 42 Vulcanian-type strong explosive eruptions of Bezymianny occurred in 1965-2011, while 20 of them producing ash up to 10-15 km a.s.l. Last explosive eruption occurred on April 13, 2011.

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


Next Notice: A new VONA will be issued if conditions change significantly or the Aviation Color Code is changes. VONAs are posted at http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php


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