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.

VONA/Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity

Issued: 20120308/0202Z

VOLCANO: BEZYMIANNY (1000-25)

Current AVIATION COLOR CODE: RED

Source: KVERT

Notice Number: 15-12

Volcano Location: 55°58'N, 160°36'E;

Area: Kamchatka, Russia

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


Prognosis of Volcanic Activity: Activity of the volcano continuously increases. Strong ash explosions up to 43,000 ft (13 km) a.s.l. possible at any time during the next 24 hours. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Volcanic Activity Summary: Activity of the volcano remains high. Seismic activity began to grow on February 12: about 7-19 weak seismic events were registering each day till February 29; about 25-61 weak seismic events and episodes volcanic tremor were recorded each day on March 01-06. Probably there is a preparation of a strong explosive eruption of the volcano. According to satellite data, a size of a thermal anomaly increased from 4 till 25 pixels and its temperature from 22.4 degrees of Celsius till 66.0 degrees of Celsius on March 02-07.

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