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: 20120309/0700Z

VOLCANO: BEZYMIANNY (1000-25)

Current AVIATION COLOR CODE: ORANGE

Previous AVIATION COLOR CODE: RED

Source: KVERT

Notice Number: 19-12

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 after strong explosive phase of eruption is gradually decreasing but continues. Ongoing activity could affect low-flying aircraft.

Volcanic Activity Summary: trong explosive eruption began at 21:27 UTC on March 08. According to seismic data, the culmination phase of the eruption occurred from 21:27 till 22:10 UTC on March 08, a magnitude of volcanic tremor was 7.52 µm/s at that time. From 23:00 UTC on March 08, volcanic tremor was not registering. Ash plumes from pyroclastic deposits rose up to 26,200 ft (8 km) a.s.l. and extended to the northeast of the volcano on the height about 19,700 ft (6 km) a.s.l. At about 00:15 UTC on March 09, probably a new portion of ash began to extending a little to northern to northeast of the volcano. According to satellite data, a length of ash plume was about 434 mi (700 km) at 04:32 UTC on March 09. At present, the moderate eruption is continuing. According to video data, gas-steam plumes containing ash are raising up to 11,500-13,100 ft (3.5-4.0 km) a.s.l. and extending to the north-east of the volcano.

Volcanic cloud height: gas-steam plumes containing ash are raising up to 11,500-13,100 ft (3.5-4.0 km) a.s.l.

Other volcanic cloud information: gas-steam plumes containing ash are extending to the northeast of the volcano

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

Tatiana Kozhevnikova, KVERT, KB GS RAS
e-mail: sva03@emsd.iks.ru
tel.fax (4152) 21-81-23

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