The launch of a new GVP website is scheduled for Monday, May 20, 2013.
All times are local (= UTC + 13 hours)
Reports from 2000: November |
Reports from 2001: February |
Reports from 2007: February |
Reports from 2008: October |
Reports from 2012: August | December |
Reports from 2013: January | February | March | April |
15-21 November 2000
A slight increase in activity occurred during the week, with steam-and-gas emissions and a loud noise from the active MH vent. By 16 November a small new vent SE of the MH vent was also steaming. The increase in activity was not accompanied by any significant seismic activity. White Island is at Alert Level 1 (ranging from 0 to 5).
Source: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
21-27 February 2001
Based on reports from White Island tour operators, the IGNS stated that on 19 February minor ash eruptions began at White Island. A light gray plume of fine ash rose ~2 km above the MH vent and drifted towards the mainland. Fine ash was deposited on and near White Island, but only an acid aerosol cloud reached the mainland near the town of Matata. IGNS personnel concluded that the ash eruptions on the 19th were similar to recent eruptive activity at the volcano, therefore White Island remained at Alert Level 1.
Source: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
14-20 February 2007
Recent visits to White Island's Crater Lake, including one on 13 February, have confirmed a continual rise in lake temperature since August 2006 from a normal range of 48-50°C. In January 2007, the temperature reached over 60°C. The last temperature measurement was 74°C, the highest ever recorded in the lake. The increased heat flow caused accelerated evaporation, and the lake level has dropped over 6 m. Steam plumes have been observed over the island. A deformation survey of the crater floor showed no significant changes from recent months.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
21-27 February 2007
Based on pilot and volcanologist reports, the Wellington VAAC reported that a steam plume from White Island rose to an altitude of 3.0 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. on 23 February.
Source: Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
22 October-28 October 2008
White Island's Crater Lake has continued to rise since December 2007, after being almost completely evaporated in late October 2007. By 23 October the lake was reported to have risen 15 m and was beginning to affect the geothermal features on the Main Crater floor. New springs formed on the floor and old springs flowed again. The lake temperature remained hot at 57 degrees Celsius and the color had changed to light green, reflecting a decrease in suspended sediment. High-temperature fumaroles (101-103 degrees Celsius) were located on the S side of the Main Crater floor. Steam, gas, and mud emissions had increased from the largest vent during the previous few weeks. The Alert Level remained at Level 1 (on a scale of 0-5), indicating signs of volcano unrest.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
1 August-7 August 2012
The GeoNet Data Centre reported that during 2011 and early 2012 White Island Crater Lake slowly evaporated, exposed steam vents, and formed two large muddy pools. Sometime between 27 July and 28 July, the lake level quickly rose 3-5 m. Vigorous gas-and-steam emissions through the new lake were observed from the air. Gas emission measurements on 1 August showed that sulfur dioxide had increased during the previous three months but carbon dioxide levels did not change.
Since early July there had been intermittent periods of volcanic tremor, including several hours early on 28 July and during 30-31 July. GeoNet noted that tremor was not uncommon at White Island but earlier in 2012 it had been at very low levels. A recent ground survey showed that the main crater floor was no longer subsiding and may have been slowly rising. The Alert Level remained at Level 1 (on a scale of 0-5), indicating signs of volcano unrest. The Aviation Colour Code increased to Yellow (second lowest on a four-color scale).
A particularly strong period of volcanic tremor was recorded during 4-5 August, and ended with an earthquake at 0454. Web camera images from between 0454 and 0457 showed an eruption from Crater Lake. This was the first time ash has been produced from White Island since 2000. [Correction: The last eruption occurred in 2001.] The Alert Level was raised to 2 and the Aviation Colour Code was raised to Orange. A steam plume rose from the crater on 5 August. Around 2330 on 7 August volcanic tremor sharply decreased to levels detected prior to the current episode of unrest. A few hours after this drop, the color of the plume changed from white to light brown, indicating more ash in the plume. Visual observations in the past few days showed that a small cone was building in the lake, around the main area of degassing.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
8 August-14 August 2012
The GeoNet Data Centre reported that scientists visited White Island on 9 August and observed an ash plume rising as high as 300 m from a new vent in the SW corner of the 1978/1990 Crater Complex. Black ash was depositing on the wall of the Main Crater to the W of the vent. The vent had started to build a tuff cone and there were impact craters around it created by ejecta from explosions. There was no sign of impact craters or blocks outside of the 1978/1990 Crater area. During 9-14 August volcanic tremor remained at low levels and a weak ash-and-steam plume rose a few hundred meters from the vent. The plume color changed between white and gray as the ash content varied. On 13 August the Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-5), and the Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow (second lowest on a four-color scale).
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
15 August-21 August 2012
On 17 August GeoNet Data Centre reported that that little to no ash was visible in the plume rising from White Island during the previous week. They also noted that seismicity was low and sulfur dioxide flux was at normal levels. The Alert Level was lowered to 1 (on a scale of 0-5), and the Aviation Colour Code remained at Yellow (second lowest on a four-color scale).
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
5 December-11 December 2012
On 12 December the GeoNet Data Centre posted a report describing a new lava dome at White Island that volcanologists recently noticed. The spiny lava dome was 20-30 m in diameter and grew in a crater formed during an eruption on 5 August. A prominent steam plume rose from the dome. Comments from tour operators at White Island suggested that the dome may have been visible two weeks earlier, but not as clearly as on 10 December. The Alert Level was raised to 2 (on a scale of 0-5), and the Aviation Colour Code was raised to Orange (second highest on a four-color scale).
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
19 December-25 December 2012
On 20 December, GeoNet Data Centre reported that the spiny lava dome at White Island had not changed during the previous 10 days. No changes to the lava dome were noted when scientists compared photos taken on 19 December to previous ones, but several small lakes occupied parts of where a large lake was before August. The highest temperature reading from the lava dome was 187 degrees Celsius, the hot lake to the S was at least 71 degrees and upwelling strongly, and the cool lake on the N side of the dome was 35 degrees. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-5), and the Aviation Colour Code remained at Orange (second highest on a four-color scale).
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
2 January-8 January 2013
On 7 January GeoNet Data Centre reported that the Aviation Colour Code for White Island was lowered to Yellow (second lowest on a four-color scale) and the Volcanic Alert Level was lowered to 1. A spiny lava dome in the crater formed on 5 August was first clearly observed on 10 December. Observations on 20 December indicated that the dome had not changed. Scientists visited the area on 1 January and again observed no changes. They measured temperatures of 200-240 degrees Celsius from the lava dome and 70-80 degrees from the nearby hot lake, and observed lots of gas coming from the lake. The report also indicated continuing elevated levels of tremor.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
16 January-22 January 2013
On 22 January GeoNet Data Centre reported that unrest at White Island continued. A volcanologist visiting the area on 21 January observed that hydrothermal activity in the small "hot lake" had increased. The lake surface "domed up" from rising steam and gas, that also brought large amounts of sediment to the surface, often with a vivid white steam-and-gas "flashing" from around the base. Stronger events periodically occurred. The report noted that the activity had been increasing since late 2012 and was now semi-continuous. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Yellow (second lowest on a four-color scale) and the Volcanic Alert Level remained at 1.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
23 January-29 January 2013
At 1600 on 24 January the GeoNet Data Centre reported that seismicity at White Island had changed during the previous 20-30 hours; volcanic tremor decreased while hybrid earthquakes appeared, which suggested magma movement within the volcano. The Aviation Colour Code was raised to Orange (second highest on a four-color scale) and the Volcanic Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-5).
On 25 January scientists conducted an overflight to measure gas emissions and found that the levels were similar to those measured on 19 December 2012. The scientists observed vigorous mud geysering in the crater lake. Seismicity remained above background levels.
On 29 January continuous tremor that had been recorded during the past few weeks changed to intermittent tremor, which remained strong. The crater lake was drying out and frequent bursts of mud, steam, and gas were still vigorous; mud and rock were ejected tens of meters out of the lake area. Steam-and-gas plumes that rose from the crater were visible from the Bay of Plenty coastline. GNS Science's past monitoring of the island showed that weak ash eruptions had often followed drying out of the same type of mud-filled lake.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
30 January-5 February 2013
On 30 January GeoNet Data Centre reported that White Island's "hot lake" had dried up and a small tuff cone was forming on the former floor of the lake. The active vent continued to eject bursts of mud, rock, steam, and gas 50-100 m high. This activity along with the seismic activity was intermittent. Gas measurements taken during an overflight showed that the levels of volcanic gases emitted from the volcano were slightly higher than the levels measured the previous week: carbon dioxide gas flux increased from 1,800 to 2,000 tons/day, sulfur dioxide flux increased from 366 to 600 tons/day, and hydrogen sulfide flux was 19 tons/day (previously 15 tons/day). During 30-31 January seismicity changed to continuous tremor and remained at a high level. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Orange (second highest on a four-color scale) and the Volcanic Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-5).
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
6 February-12 February 2013
On 11 February GeoNet Data Centre reported that analysis of recent changes and measurements from White Island indicated that activity was lower than the previous week; therefore, the Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow and the Volcanic Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-5). The report also stated that early during the previous week the level of volcanic tremor recorded at White Island dropped to less than half that of the week before. At the same time small explosive eruptions in the active crater, which had been occurring for about three weeks, became less intense. On 7 February sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide gas measurements were similar to measurements from January: sulfur dioxide flux was 560 tonnes/day and carbon dioxide flux was 1,800 tonnes/day. A volcanologist that visited the lake area on 8 February noted that water had again filled the lake and small geysering was the only activity that he observed. The lake water was hot, about 80 degrees Celsius.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
20 February-26 February 2013
GeoNet Data Centre reported that ash venting from White island occurred at about 1130 and 1330 on 23 February. The Aviation Colour Code was raised to Orange and the Volcanic Alert Level was raised to 2 (on a scale of 0-5). During a field investigation on 25 February scientists observed that ash emissions had ceased and small scale steam-and-gas explosions were occurring at the active vent. Volcanic tremor had also increased.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
27 February-5 March 2013
On 4 March GeoNet Data Centre reported that during the previous week a small ash cone surrounded by a small moat of water had been built in the crater that formerly contained the hot lake. Ash emissions had ceased, therefore the Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow and the Volcanic Alert Level was lowered to 1 (on a scale of 0-5). Seismic tremor levels were low, possibly because of the lack of water involvement in the current activity. Scientists aboard an overflight flight on 26 February measured around 600 tonnes per day of sulfur dioxide, and 1,950 tonnes per day of carbon dioxide, similar to other measurements made since the start of 2013.
Source: GeoNet Data Centre
27 March-2 April 2013
On 26 March GeoNet Data Centre reported that a pattern of repeating minor activity at White Island had become established over the last month. Periods of passive steaming and degassing were accompanied by very low levels of volcanic tremor. This activity alternated with minor mud-and-steam explosions from the active crater when there was strong volcanic tremor. Sulfur dioxide gas measurements on 20 March were at similar levels to the past month, although carbon dioxide levels were higher. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Yellow and the Volcanic Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-5).
Source: New Zealand GeoNet Project
24 April-30 April 2013
On 29 April GeoNet Data Centre reported that activity at White Island remained at a persistently low level, characterized by tremor and degassing. No mud or ash eruptions had been observed since early April. A volcanologist visited the island the previous week and observed that increased rainfall had caused the two lakes to merge together into one larger lake. The temperature of the lake was 62 degrees Celsius and the lava-dome temperature was 200 degrees. The lower level of activity prompted GeoNet to reduce the Aviation Colour Code to Green (indicating no active eruption). The Volcano Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-5).
Source: New Zealand GeoNet Project