Volcano Listserv Messages (2003)
- Subject: GVP / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 24-30 December 2003
- From: Lisa Koenig
- Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 11:14:00 -0700
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GVP / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
24-30 December 2003
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From: Gari Mayberry <mayberry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
GVP / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
24-30 December 2003
Ongoing Activity: | Cotopaxi, Ecuador | Dukono, Indonesia | Fuego, Guatemala |
Karymsky, Russia | Kilauea, USA | Kliuchevskoi, Russia | Popocatépetl, México |
Santa María, Guatemala | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat | Suwanose-jima, Japan |
Tungurahua, Ecuador |
Ongoing Activity
COTOPAXI Ecuador 00.677°S, 78.43°6W; summit elev. 5,911 m
During 15-21 December, there was a slight reduction in the level of seismicity
at Cotopaxi in comparison to the previous week. The number of long-period
earthquakes increased around 20 December. No volcano-tectonic earthquakes were
recorded. Only fumarolic activity was observed at the volcano.
Background. Symmetrical, glacier-clad Cotopaxi stratovolcano is Ecuador's most
well-known volcano and one of its most active. The steep-sided cone is capped
by nested summit craters, the largest of which is about 550 x 800 m in
diameter. Deep valleys scoured by lahars radiate from the summit, and large
andesitic lava flows extend as far as the base of Cotopaxi. The modern conical
volcano has been constructed since a major edifice collapse sometime prior to
about 5,000 years ago. Pyroclastic flows (often confused in historical accounts
with lava flows) have accompanied many explosive eruptions of Cotopaxi, and
lahars have frequently devastated adjacent valleys. The most violent historical
eruptions took place in 1744, 1768, and 1877. Pyroclastic flows descended all
sides of the volcano in 1877, and lahars traveled more than 100 km into the
Pacific Ocean and western Amazon basin. The last significant eruption of
Cotopaxi took place in 1904.
Source: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional
http://www.igepn.edu.ec/vulcanologia/cotopaxi/actividad/informec.htm
Cotopaxi Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-05=
DUKONO Halmahera, Indonesia 1.70°N, 127.87°E; summit elev. 1,185 m
During 24-30 December, thin ash plumes emitted from Dukono were sometimes
visible on satellite imagery extending ~90 km E.
Background. Reports from this remote volcano in northernmost Halmahera are
rare, but Dukono has been one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. More-or-
less continuous explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows,
occurred since 1933 until at least the mid-1990s, when routine observations
were curtailed. During a major eruption in 1550, a lava flow filled in the
strait between Halmahera and the N-flank cone of Gunung Mamuya. Dukono is a
complex volcano presenting a broad, low profile with multiple summit peaks and
overlapping craters. Malupang Wariang, 1 km SW of Dukono's summit crater
complex, contains a 700 x 570 m crater that has also been active during
historical time.
Source: Darwin VAAC http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/AU/messages.html
Dukono Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0608-01=
FUEGO Guatemala 14.47°N, 90.88°W; summit elev. 3,763 m
On 30 December, small-to-moderate explosions produced plumes containing little
ash that rose to low levels above Fuego. Ash from the explosions was deposited
around the volcano's edifice. Small avalanches of volcanic material traveled W
toward Santa Teresa ravine and toward Trinidad ravine.
Background. Fuego, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, is one of
three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital, Antigua.
Collapse of the ancestral Meseta volcano about 8,500 years ago produced a
massive debris avalanche that traveled about 50 km onto the Pacific coastal
plain. Growth of the modern Fuego volcano followed, continuing the southward
migration of volcanism that began at Acatenango, the northern twin volcano of
Fuego. Frequent vigorous historical eruptions have been recorded since 1524 and
have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional pyroclastic flows and lava
flows. The last major explosive eruption from Fuego took place in 1974,
producing spectacular pyroclastic flows visible from Antigua.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meterologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/geofisica/boletin%
20formato.htm
Fuego Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1402-09=
KARYMSKY Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 54.05°N, 159.43°E; summit elev. 1,536 m;
All times are local (= UTC + 12 hours)
On 23 December at 0359 and on 24 December at 1605 KVERT recorded possible
explosions at Karymsky that were accompanied by pyroclastic flows. During 19-26
December, seismicity at Karymsky was above background levels, with 40-200
earthquakes occurring per day. In addition, possible gas-and-ash explosions
rose 1-2 km above the volcano. The number of earthquakes decreased during 18-20
December, then increased during 21-24 December. Karymsky remained at Concern
Color Code Orange <http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/>.
Background. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic
zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera
that formed about 7,600-7,700 radiocarbon years ago. Construction of the
Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2,000 years later. The latest eruptive
period began about 500 years ago, following a 2,300-year quiescence. Much of
the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions
have been Vulcanian or Vulcanian-Strombolian with moderate explosive activity
and occasional lava flows from the summit crater. Most seismicity preceding
Karymsky eruptions has originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, which is
located immediately S of Karymsky volcano and erupted simultaneously with
Karymsky in 1996.
Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team via the Alaska Volcano
Observatory http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo
Karymsky information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1000-13=
KILAUEA Hawaii, USA 19.43°N, 155.29°W; summit elev. 1,222 m
During 24-30 December, no active lava flows were observed on Pulama pali or the
coastal flat below Paliuli and no lava entered the ocean. Eruptive activity
continued at the Pu`u `O`o vent. Few earthquakes occurred at Kilauea's summit,
only steady weak tremor was recorded. Volcanic tremor at Pu`u `O`o continued at
moderate levels. Deflation of the volcano during 24-28 December signified
relatively rapid extrusion.
Background. Kilauea, one of five coalescing volcanoes that comprise the island
of Hawaii, is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Eruptions at Kilauea
originate primarily from the summit caldera or along one of the lengthy E and
SW rift zones that extend from the caldera to the sea. About 90% of the surface
of Kilauea is formed by lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the
volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. The latest Kilauea eruption began
in January 1983 along the E rift zone. This long-term ongoing eruption from
Pu`u `O`o-Kupaianaha has produced lava flows that have traveled 11-12 km from
the vents to the sea, paving about 104 km2 of land on the S flank of Kilauea
and building more than 200 hectares of new land.
Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/update.html
Kilauea Information from the Global Volcanism Program
KLIUCHEVSKOI Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 56.06°N, 160.64°E; summit elev. 4,835
m
During 19-26 December, seismicity at Kliuchevskoi was above background levels,
with the occurrence of ~135 large shallow earthquakes between M 1.9-2.3 and a
large number of weaker events. Gas-and-steam plumes rose to low levels above
the volcano. Kliuchevskoi remained at Concern Color Code Orange
<http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/>.
Background. Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka's highest and most active volcano. Since
its origin about 7,000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4,835-m-high
basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and
effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. More than 100 flank
eruptions have occurred during the past 3,000 years, mostly on the NE and SE
flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3,600 m elevation. The
morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by
historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century.
Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have
also included major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.
Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) via the Alaska
Volcano Observatory http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo
Kliuchevskoi Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1000-26=
POPOCATÉPETL México 19.02°N, 98.62°W; summit elev. 5,426 m
During December relatively low-level volcanic activity continued at
Popocatépetl, with low-intensity steam-and-gas emissions occurring. An aerial
photograph taken on 10 December showed subsidence of the inner crater and no
external lava dome at the bottom of the crater. The Alert Level remained at
Yellow Phase II.
Background. Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking mountain,
towers to 5,426 m 70 km SE of México City and is North America's second-highest
volcano. Frequent historical eruptions have been recorded since the beginning
of the Spanish colonial era. A small eruption on 21 December 1994 ended five
decades of quiescence. Since 1996 small lava domes have incrementally been
constructed within the summit crater and destroyed by explosive eruptions.
Intermittent small-to-moderate gas-and-ash eruptions have continued,
occasionally producing ashfall in neighboring towns and villages.
Source: Centro Nacionale de Prevencion de Desastres http://www.cenapred.unam.mx/
Popocatépetl Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1401-09=
SANTA MARÍA Guatemala 14.756°N 91.552°W; summit elev. 3,772 m
On 30 December weak-to-moderate explosions occurred at Santa Maria?s
Santiaguito lava-dome complex. The explosions sent ash-and-gas plumes 500-700 m
above Caliente cone. They drifted SW and deposited fine ash in a mountainous
region with several ranches (locally termed fincas) including, El Faro,
Florida, Monte Claro and Monte Bello. Avalanches continued to spall off of lava-
flow fronts on the volcano's SW and S flanks and occasionally from Caliente
cone.
Background. Symmetrical, forest-covered Santa María volcano is one of a chain
of large stratovolcanoes that rises dramatically above the Pacific coastal
plain of Guatemala. The stratovolcano has a sharp-topped, conical profile that
is cut on the SW flank by a large, 1-km-wide crater, which formed during a
catastrophic eruption in 1902 and extends from just below the summit to the
lower flank. The renowned plinian eruption of 1902 followed a long repose
period and devastated much of SW Guatemala. The large dacitic Santiaguito lava-
dome complex has been growing at the base of the 1902 crater since 1922.
Compound dome growth at Santiaguito has occurred episodically from four
westward-younging vents, accompanied by almost continuous minor explosions and
periodic lava extrusion, larger explosions, pyroclastic flows, and lahars.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meterologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH), http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/geofisica/boletin%
20formato.htm
Santa María Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1402-03=
SOUFRIÈRE HILLS Montserrat, West Indies 16.72°N, 62.18°W; summit elev. 1,030 m
Volcanic activity at Soufrière Hills remained low during 19-26 December, with
low counts of all seismic signals. The seismic network recorded 1 rockfall and
2 hybrid earthquakes until 24 December.
Background. The complex andesitic Soufrière Hills volcano occupies the southern
half of the island of Montserrat. The summit area consists primarily of a
series of lava domes emplaced along an ESE-trending zone. Non-eruptive seismic
swarms occurred at 30-year intervals in the 20th century, but the first well-
documented historical eruption on Montserrat did not take place until 1995.
Long-term small-to-moderate ash eruptions were accompanied by lava-dome growth
and pyroclastic flows that forced evacuation of the southern half of the island
and ultimately destroyed the capital city of Plymouth, causing severe social
and economic disruption. The volcano continues to extrude dome lavas, often
accompanied by pyroclastic flows.
Source: Montserrat Volcano Observatory http://www.mvo.ms/
Soufrière Hills Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1600-05=
SUWANOSE-JIMA Ryukyu Islands, Japan 29.53°N, 129.72°E; summit elev. 799 m; All
times are local (= UTC + 9 hours)
Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported that several small ash
emissions from Suwanose-jima on 27 and 28 December rose to unknown heights.
Ash from an eruption on 28 December at 0820 reached a height of ~1.5 km a.s.l.
and drifted E.
Background. The 8-km-long, spindle-shaped island of Suwanose-jima in the
northern Ryukyu Islands is occupied by a stratovolcano with two historically
active summit craters. Only about 50 persons live on the sparsely populated
island. The summit of the volcano is truncated by a large breached crater
extending to the sea on the E flank that was formed by edifice collapse.
Suwanose-jima, one of Japan's most frequently active volcanoes, was in a state
of intermittent Strombolian activity from On-take (also called Otake), the NE
summit crater, that began in 1949 and lasted nearly a half century. The
largest historical eruption took place in 1813-14, when thick scoria deposits
blanketed residential areas, after which the island was uninhabited for about
70 years. The SW crater produced lava flows that reached the western coast in
1813, and lava flows reached the eastern coast of the island in 1884.
Source: Tokyo VAAC http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/JP/messages.html
Suwanose-jima Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0802-03=
TUNGURAHUA Ecuador 1.47°S, 78.44°W; summit elev. 5,023 m
During 24-30 December, there were emissions of gas, steam, and ash, and low
levels of seismicity at Tungurahua. On 28 December emissions sent plumes ~1.5
km above the volcano's summit that drifted E and NE. Ash fell in the sector of
Runtún NNE of the volcano and in the city of Baños on the volcano's N flank. On
30 December aircraft personnel reported an ash cloud ~800 m above the volcano.
According to the Washington VAAC, during the report period ash was visible on
satellite imagery to a maximum height of ~3 km above the volcano.
Background. The steep-sided Tungurahua stratovolcano towers more than 3 km
above its northern base. It sits ~140 km S of Quito, Ecuador's capital city,
and is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. Historical eruptions have been
restricted to the summit crater. They have been accompanied by strong
explosions and sometimes by pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached
populated areas at the volcano's base. The last major eruption took place from
1916 to 1918, although minor activity continued until 1925. The latest eruption
began in October 1999 and prompted temporary evacuation of the town of Baños on
the N side of the volcano.
Sources: Instituto Geofisico-Escuela Politecnica Nacional
http://www.igepn.edu.ec/vulcanologia/tungurahua/actividad/informet.htm,
Washington VAAC http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html
Tungurahua Information from the Global Volcanism Program
/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-08=
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Gari Mayberry
US Geological Survey/Global Volcanism Program
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History E-421
Dept. of Mineral Sciences
Washington, DC 20560-0119
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