General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[lorenzo]

Katla Chart http://en.vedur.is/e.../myrdalsjokull/

Katla Webcam http://www.ruv.is/katla

Looks calm ! Was this not attributed to regular activty for this region but more sensors being placed?

EDIT - Okay maybe not so calm...

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/oroi/god.gif

Edited October 14, 2011 by lorenzo

[Argyllcraig]

Much of the noise around Katla over the last couple of days has been down to the stormy weather up there.

The God chart always looks quite noisy due to its location. I tend to look at the Sly and Alf charts as its usually easier to spot the Harmonic tremors there.

As for the Daily Mail, well what can you say? nothing that hasnt been said already i guess, just 8 days ago their headline was about Scotland about to be battered by 2 Hurricanes in 3 days..

[The PIT]

Nothing much new about El Hierro eurption on going and deformation has started to increase again which indicates the possibility of more fissures to open perhaps.

[Paranoid]

Noticed on Jon Frimann's blog that as well as the earthquake swarm at Katla yesterday there was also one at Askja in Northeast Iceland. Askja is also capable of large explosive eruptions.

[karyo]

World Weekly Volcanic Activity Report – Hierro, Merapi, Krakatau, Etna

http://www.irishweat...etna/41582.html

very informative weekly update

Thank you John. I am surprised to see the Puyehue Volcano in Chile still erupting after 4 months of activity! The activity is not as strong now of course but still the plume reached 4km high and the volcano remains on red alert!

Karyo

Edited October 14, 2011 by karyo

[Martin M]

This is saying theres been a new eruption that is visible from the coast at El Hierro. No pictures or video unfortunately but its a breaking developement it seems. Whether being visible means the murky material being thrown up under water or a visible phreatic eruption nearer the shore I have no idea.

[tinybill]

this the latest i can get from a spanish specking facebook page

Current Volcanic Islands (AVCAN)

At 1315 hours it has ordered the bailout of the neighbors who had been allowed to go back to La Restinga, El Hierro, to take personal belongings to a new eruption within walking distance from the coast, officials said. The tremor has intensified and the rash is visible from shore. magmatic material has left open by a fissure two miles from the coast. Have been banned over the area and the research vessel sent to the scene has been ordered to leave urgently. "PHOTO public, the spot yesterday when I touch the shore."

[The PIT]

The lack of info is very annoying. Apparently the scientific oceanographic ship has been ordered to leave the area as have helicopters. So what is actually happening at El Heirro is anybodies guess. So perhaps the authorities are expecting the eruption top breach the surface or are just panicking.

[Crepuscular Ray]

According to El Mundo, scientists have confirmed an "underwater pyroclastic flow" resulting from an eruption 2.5 km off the island and 900m down. The aerial exclusion zone would possibly be because of the risk of ash and the maritime one perhaps because of the destabilising effect of a large amount of gas in the water on boats.

[BornFromTheVoid]

According to El Mundo, scientists have confirmed an "underwater pyroclastic flow" resulting from an eruption 2.5 km off the island and 900m down. The aerial exclusion zone would possibly be because of the risk of ash and the maritime one perhaps because of the destabilising effect of a large amount of gas in the water on boats.

I'd be interested to know how they worked out a pyroclastic flow had occurred that deep below sea level. Have you a link to the page CR?

[tinybill]

this from a spainsh site

[cyclonic happiness]

Is that smoking pumice floating on the sea surface?

[Crepuscular Ray]

http://www.elmundo.e...1318684618.html

It's in Spanish, but as with Tinybill's post, the word piroclastico was a clue! Whether they've just used it as a blanket term for gas, ash and pumice, I don't know. Sorry, I should have made that clear in my earlier post. The water certainly looks as if there's a lot of ash in it.

Is that smoking pumice floating on the sea surface?

Floating, steaming pumice, by the look of it. Edited October 15, 2011 by crepuscular ray

[BornFromTheVoid]

The article does say pyroclastic flow and "burning clouds". I presume it's occurring because the water in seeping into the fissures, otherwise, it could signify a higher level of volatiles in the magma and a more explosive styled eruption.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Again from El Mundo, with Babelfish translation below:

If they're right and that's got from 900m below sea level to 150m below sea level in less than a week! Eeeeeeeeeeeeek!

That does imply explosive activity when it gets nearer the surface of the water, and doubtless merits the decision to get extend the exclusion zone absolutely right.

This leads me to wonder whether this is actually the development of a new, separate, hotspot volcano, rather than an eruption as part of the El Hierro system.

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2011/10/15/espana/1318684618.html

The submarine eruption that began in Monday to the south of the Iron is already to less than 150 meters of depth and about 2.4 kilometers of the coast. Therefore, they increase the probabilities that explosive phenomena take place. The evacuation of the locality of the Restinga causes that there is not risk for the population.

The chief of a main directorate of Seguridad and Emergencias of the Government of the Canary Islands, Juan Manuel Santana, has detailed in press conference that the eruption is to about 2,400 meters of the coast. He produces bubbling in the surface and he causes that smoky pyroclasts emerge (rest of magma). According to this, one assumes that “I build volcanic” has grown under the water and now one is less than 150 meters of depth. “Every time are rest in briefer waters”, has added.

Santana has said that the new data take to the authorities to raise a level plus the volcanic alert. The traffic light is red in phase of emergencia 1. “That does not mean any change for the population.

“We have assured the zone the Restinga, because it is a zone of high risk, and the rest of safety measures already had been taken”, it has said. Also, it has aimed that is not predicted a new evacuation.

The appearance in the surface of the sea of gases and magma, well-known like piroclástico flow, has confirmed the existence of a submarine volcano in front of the port forcing to the closing from the accesses to the port of the Restinga and the prohibition of the flight of helicopters and airplanes in the zone. Also the perimeter has been increased to a kilometer of security in the zone.

Sources of the Pevolca, the special plan of civil defense before the volcanic risk, have informed into which the oceanographic research ship that was in the zone gathering water samples where it has taken place the fisural eruption has left the zone.

The piroclástico flow is a mixture of gases and solids ejected in the volcano eruptions that form the piroclásticas taps, also calls “ardent clouds”. This compound takes place when it washes with high dissolved gas content (for example dioxides, sulfides or aqueous vapour) cools off and decompresses when reaching the surface during a volcanic eruption.

In the port of the Restinga, of where their 600 inhabitants from the past Tuesday have been evacuated, also it he has been today a reduced neighbor group who was retiring their properties. The president herreño has sent a tranquillity message assuring that risk for the population does not exist and even in some zones, like in the Pine, a unit of Emergencias has transferred to the 800 inhabitants by public address system that is no necessity to order an evacuation.

To the 20,00 hours (19,00 local time) it is predicted that the scientists of the National Geographic Institute give a press conference to inform into the evolution of the volcanic phenomenon.

[john pike]

rsoe update on Canary Islands

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=EQ-20110824-32077-SPI&uid=11574

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update&edis_id=EQ-20110824-32077-SPI

http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/

useful for updates and in english

http://www.avcan.org/index.php?m=Mapas&a=mapa&mf=860

useful for keeping your eye on quakes in the region

[summer blizzard]

Am i right in thinking that there is a press conference now then?

Surely the height of a submarine volcano cannot increase by 700 meters in one week.

[BornFromTheVoid]

Am i right in thinking that there is a press conference now then?

Surely the height of a submarine volcano cannot increase by 700 meters in one week.

It could be the fissure is spreading towards the coast so it's building at a much more shallow depth than the initial eruptions. 700m of build up in a few days would be incredible otherwise.

[cyclonic happiness]

Am I right in thinking that the bit in the picture that I've circled, is a caldera?

If so, is that the bit of the island that is at danger of slipping and causing a tsunami?

Looks like a big caldera?

[Paranoid]

I think it's the site of a landslide several thousand years ago. I can't be certain but there are other features on the Canary Islands that look like that too and the chain in general has a history of landslides. If it was a caldera there should be some evidence of the rim above sea level on the other side of the area you labelled.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Paranoid

[Crepuscular Ray]

It's a region where there were several slumps in the past. No, it's not a caldera as it's offset from the centre of the volcano.

[tinybill]

this the latest i got from the spanish facebook page interesting reading

IGN-CSIC scientists claim that evolution of the volcanic eruption may have four phases 15.10.2011 ... 20:28 - Ministry of Economy, Finance and Security The culmination of all of them depend on the amount of magma expelled

Scientists at the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and the Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), have confirmed, in the afternoon today, the eruptive process of El Hierro is a surtseyana like rash, consisting of four phases. However, they said that the completion of these depend on the amount of magma expelled by the volcano. As explained by the coordinator of the team of scientists from CSIC, Ramon Ortiz, the first phase, the effects have been seen today, is in the expulsion of "bubbles of gas bearing lava and once they lose sink." In a second stage, according to Ortiz, "you will see a white column of steam" that will give way to the third phase to be observed "black colored explosions known as rooster tails." Finally, you can view "the growth of a small island where a fountain of lava flow type pump." Ramon Ortiz also said that the diameter of the mouth of the volcano should be about one meter in diameter and it has caused deformation on the island of about five centimeters. He said that the eruption will be visible when you are 60 meters deep. For the record, the Canary Islands Government raised this morning to the emergency red light, Level 1, in which, in addition to the mandatory evacuations, mobilize the necessary resources for intervention activities and logistics. This was transmitted PEVOLCA address to the people of La Restinga, which must follow closely the recommendations of the authorities and members of civil protection. For his part, Director General of Security and Emergency, Juan Manuel Santana, announced that tomorrow will place a new meeting of the Steering Committee PEVOLCA, to be attended by the prime minister, Paulino Rivero, and the Director of Planning and Minister of Economy, Finance and Security, Javier Ortiz. The meeting will take place at 13:00 pm in the City of El Pinar.

[cyclonic happiness]

Woah! So we could be seeing the birth if a new island? like Surtsey?

[Martin M]

Certainly a lot more pumice on the surface on the latest released picture. http://twitpic.com/70uk62

[summer blizzard]

Very interesting although bad once it does reach the surface as ash could no doubt reach El Hierro.

I do wonder how long the eruption could go on for if it does breach the surface because Krakatoa for instance seems ever erupting.