General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[The PIT]

Aah the old island splitting scare mongering again. Yes it can happen but the chances in our lifetime small. Hawaii islands split and fall into the sea but no one panics over that. In the past a huge landslip of Norway inundated the east coast of England and no one panics over that. Etna has had large landslips causing destruction in the med but nobody panics over that.

[karyo]

there is seismic activity taking hold at EL HIERRO volcano in the canary islands and I have watch several programmes on this in the past and this island could be very dangerous as it is splitting along the middle and there is thoughts and worrys that activity in this area could cause the island to fall in two slip into the atlantic and if this were to happen could cause big tsunami like waves to radiate out around the atlantic basin and could very well affect western areas of britian.

 

activity has really ramped up lately and have seen a 5.3 magnitude earthquake today which is certainly one of the strongest ever felt there if not the strongest so might be worth keeping a watch over as some have estimated possible big waves if this was to fall into the water.

 

http://earthquake-re...ased-to-yellow/

They say the same thing about the island of Palma and to some extend Tenerife.

 

Karyo

[Buriedundersnow]

Aah the old island splitting scare mongering again. Yes it can happen but the chances in our lifetime small. Hawaii islands split and fall into the sea but no one panics over that. In the past a huge landslip of Norway inundated the east coast of England and no one panics over that. Etna has had large landslips causing destruction in the med but nobody panics over that.

 

yes the chances in our lifetime are small but how many other things have happened around the world that people thought would have been unlikely in our lifetime.

 

indian ocean tsunami

 

the big one in japan

 

a December here like 2010

 

that's just a few I can think of but I am sure theres plenty more.

 

we wont find out if the island will split or not till any volcanic activity takes place and finishes as the main threat to the island is due to water being held within it that cant escape which during volcanic eruptions heats up and builds pressure inside the island which helps to force it apart so until we see if any volcanic activity comes and goes and what takes place we cant discount it happening and certainly cant say its unlikely in our lifetime.

[tinybill]

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=349909#map

 

things are  string  down in the canary  islands  at  the moment

[john pike]

Volcanic unrest at El Hierro (Canary Islands): activity updates

Update Sat 28 Dec 08:55 & 16:56

The situation has been calm over night after yesterday evening's M5.1 earthquake (and a handful of aftershocks of magnitudes up to 3.6) off to the west. There are speculations that this quake might have been caused by magma rising in this area and hence, a possible precursor to an eruption west off the island, but the more likely interpretation, given by IGN's experts, is that the quake was a result of tectonic stress induced by the recent deformation of the island. Except abundant rockfalls and smaller landslides, the quake has not caused major damage or injuries, fortunately. Some local roads in the El Golfo area near steep cliffs have been closed.

On the island itself, the signs of volcanic unrest have decreased since yesterday afternoon: tremor, still present, has decreased in strength, earthquakes have been mostly absent under the central/SE part of the island, and deformation seems to be stagnating.

Whether this is a pause or sign of the near end of the current crisis is too early to say. You can check live data at: webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/elhierro.

Tremor amplitude yesterday (CTAB station, IGN)

Map of recent earthquakes under El Hierro (IGN)

Current deformation GPS signals (IGN)

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/elhierro/current-activity.html

 

 

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Etna volcano - eruption update

Update Sat 28 Dec 17:50

The volcano remains restless. Ash emissions have resumed (or continue) at the NE crater. Tremor is fluctuating, but there's a slow overall rising trend.

Ash emission from Etna's NE crater this evening

Current tremor signal (ECPN station, INGV Catania)

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/etna/current-activity.html

 

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Shiveluch (Kamchatka): A relatively large explosive eruption occurred this afternoon at the lava dome of the volcano, producing a pyroclastic flow and an ash plume rising to over 27,000 ft (8 km) altitude (at 03:07 UTC):

 

 

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Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): The volcano's activity has picked up. Today, VAAC Tokyo reported at least 3 explosions with low-level ash plumes. Bright glow from the crater area is visible at night, suggesting elevated strombolian to vulcanian-type activity. Here is a video of today's activity:

 

 

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Volcanoes Today, 28 Dec 2013: Sinabung

Saturday Dec 28, 2013 19:03 PM |

The new lava dome of Sinabung (colored lines showing its extension on 24, 25, and 26 Dec) (VSI)

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): VSI confirmed that a new lava dome (a mass of viscous magma accumulating at the vent) has made its appearance on the northern crater of the volcano. It had a height of 56 meters and diameter of 105 meters on 26 Dec. Its volume was estimated to about 1 million cu meters, and the growth rate at 3.5 m3/second.

A major risk posed by the dome will be block-and-ash (pyroclastic) flows caused by collapse of the instable mass, once it surpasses the rims of its crater. Another hazard, often related to the previous, are explosions of trapped pressurized gas. Whether the new lava dome will produce such potentially large explosions, will depend on how gas-rich the currently erupting magma is and how effective degassing through fissures, cracks etc. works. But most similar eruptions have almost always included significant explosive activity at some point and extreme caution should be taken around the volcano. In particular, all valleys radiating from the summit area should be avoided at all times.

VSI recommends not to approach the volcano within 5 km radius (which in the case of a larger pyroclastic flow is not sufficient at all) and more than 17,000 people from about 20 villages remain evacuated.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcanoes/today.html

[john pike]

San Miguel volcano (El Salvador): new eruption

Sunday Dec 29, 2013 18:21 PM | BY: T

Eruption plume from today's explosion at San Miguel (photo: La Prensa Grafica)

A new eruption began at the volcano this morning at 10:50 am local time. A strong vulcanian-type explosion produced an ash plume of unknown but considerable (several km) height.

According to local press, ash fall was expected in the town of Chinameca and Civil Protection has begun evacuations of families residing in a radius of 3 km around the volcano.

[*]All news about: San Miguel volcano

[*]Information about: San Miguel volcano

---

Links / Sources:

[*]Reportan actividad en volcán Chaparrastique de San Miguel (La Prensa Grafica)

[john pike]

something to maybe watch

 

earthquake

 

Magnitude ML 5.0 Region SOUTHERN ITALY Date time 2013-12-29 17:08:44.0 UTC Location 41.43 N ; 14.43 E Depth 10 km Distances 170 km E of Roma, Italy / pop: 2,563,241 / local time: 18:08:44.0 2013-12-29
25 km SW of Campobasso, Italy / pop: 50,762 / local time: 18:08:44.0 2013-12-29

 

 

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=seism_last&rid=375793

 

list of recent quakes

 

near these volcanoes

 

Ischia Italy, Italy Complex volcano   54.67 km Campi Flegrei Italy, Italy Caldera 1538 43.48 km Vesuvius Italy, Italy Complex volcano   41.76 km

 

maybe just techtonic but worth keeping an eye on for now

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=svolcano_index&svid=12

 

info above re camp flegrei

 

 

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/

Edited December 29, 2013 by john pike

[lorenzo]

Never realised this thread was on NetWx until earlier this week - appreciate the updates John, great stuff.

[john pike]

hi lorenzo

 

no problem and thanks

 

[karyo]

The photo of the San Miguel eruption looks spectacular!

 

Karyo

[john pike]

 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/12/new-explosive-eruption-from-san-miguel/

 

i agree karyo

 

fascinating

[john pike]

more pics below

 

 

http://www.elsalvador.com/mwedh/nota/nota_completa.asp?idCat=47673&idArt=8430761

[lorenzo]

From the twitter feed of @romartinezfranc

 

Helluva Pic !

[Buriedundersnow]

They say the same thing about the island of Palma and to some extend Tenerife.

 

Karyo

 

yeah la palma is the one I was thinking of that holds the water inside it.

 

for anyone interested that has sky or virgin tonight on EDEN we have

 

supervolcano at 9' oclock about Yellowstone

 

volcano hell at 11 o'clock

 

mega tsunami at midnight which is the one on la palma in the canary islands

[Buriedundersnow]

found some images of CHAPARRASTIQUE on twitter

 

[Buriedundersnow]

also some great images tonight from the current on going eruption at MT ETNA

 

[john pike]

A string of earthquakes around the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands has officials on alert for an underwater volcanic eruption. El Hierro, the smallest and farthest south and west of the Canary Islands, has a population of about 10,000. Two years ago, a new underwater volcano appeared off the coast of the island after hundreds of earthquakes struck the area in a matter of days in July 2011. Last week officials on the island announced that a new string of earthquakes and a sudden change in height of the new volcano could be a harbinger of eruption. Shortly after the Dec. 27 announcement, El Hierro saw its largest earthquake ever - a 5.1 magnitude tremblor that struck off the coast at a depth of about 15 kilometers. Between Monday and Wednesday of last week, more than 500 earthquakes rattled the island which, like all of the Canary Islands, is a popular tourist destination. The swarm of earthquakes has led to notable deformations in the earth around the island. One deformation lifted the ground 3 centimeters in 24 hours, according to data from Earthquake-Report.com, an independent earthquake reporting site. "The changing deformation pattern shows the biggest magma movement below the island concentrating in the El Golfo area (Sabinosa to Frontera) and is an additional sign that the crisis isn't over yet," Earthquake-Report said Monday. As of Monday no new earthquakes have occurred in the region, but the volcanic eruption risk remains "yellow." "This warning means that activity is increasing at the volcano, but no eruption is imminent. A similar burst of activity prompted a yellow warning in June 2012, but the volcano soon quieted down," LiveScience reported.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=EQ-20131227-42074-SPI&uid=14576

[john pike]

Volcanoes Today, 31 Dec 2013: Cleveland, Sinabung, San Miguel, Dukono, Suwanose-jima, Etna

Tuesday Dec 31, 2013 16:03 PM |

Strombolian explosions at the New SE crater on the evening of 29 Dec (Photo: Emaunela / VolcanoDiscovery Italia)Tremor amplitude (

Medium sized pyroclastic flow reaching the lower slopes of Sinabung today (Image: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho/BNPB)

Eruption plume from today's explosion at San Miguel (photo: La Prensa Grafica)

 

 

Etna (Sicily, Italy): The fireworks on Etna seem to be coming to an end, although there is currently no visibility due to bad weather. Tremor has gradually decreased after another long, but rather weak paroxysm at the New SE crater (photos).

Suwanose-jima (Tokara Islands, Japan): The volcano continues to produce frequent and intense strombolian explosions and produces a low level ash plume.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): More and increasingly larger (and hence more dangerous) pyroclastic flows are being formed by the growing lava dome of the volcano. These "flows" are hot turbulent avalanches of hot blocks and ash in suspension with hot gas and air, that can travel down at great speed the slopes of the mountain, typically following the paths of valleys.
Today, one of the pyroclastic flows reached a distance of 3000 m, ie. the lower slopes. It needs to be pointed out that anything living in the path of these flows is killed, and even larger structures usually destroyed or completely burned. The exclusion zone of 5 km currently in place seems clearly to be too small.
... [read more]

Dukono (Halmahera): Elevated explosive activity continues at the remote volcano. Ash plumes up to 12,000 ft (3.6 km) altitude were spotted on satellite data by VAAC Darwin.

Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): Small, brief explosions were detected at the volcano yesterday evening (21:29 UTC or 12:29 AKST) and this morning at 4:06 UTC (19:06 AKST local time), USGS reported.
"No satellite images available after the time of the explosion, so uncertain if minor ash cloud generated, but unlikely.
"Similar such explosions may continue without warning, and may produce minor ash clouds that are not expected to extend much beyond the volcano, but could produce local fallout on the flanks of the volcano. AVO has received no reports of activity from local observers." (AVO/USGS)

San Miguel (El Salvador): (31 Dec) The new eruption that occurred at the volcano Sunday (29 Dec) morning at 10:50 am local time has so far been an isolated single explosion of vulcanian type (accumulated pressure ejecting the plug in the conduit). Current seismic activity is low, but more activity could follow.
The explosion produced an ash plume of considerable (3-8 km) height, reaching estimated altitudes of 5-10 km. Heavy ash fall followed the eruption in nearby areas downwind, such as in the towns of Chinameca and San Jorge to the west. Civil Protection immediately began to evacuate families residing in a radius of 3 km around the volcano. So far, more than 5000 persons have been ordered to evacuate.
The following video from MARN's webcam shows the onset of the powerful explosion, accompanied by a (fortunately only) small pyroclastic flow (starting a 8sec):

 

 

Edited December 31, 2013 by john pike

[john pike]

this is the one i am watching at present

 

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia) activity update

Tuesday Dec 31, 2013 15:56 PM | BY: T

Medium sized pyroclastic flow reaching the lower slopes of Sinabung today (Image: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho/BNPB)

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/sinabung/news/40802/Sinabung-volcano-Sumatra-Indonesia-activity-update.html

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/sinabung-videos.html

More and increasingly larger (and hence more dangerous) pyroclastic flows are being formed by the growing lava dome of the volcano. These "flows" are hot turbulent avalanches of hot blocks and ash in suspension with hot gas and air, that can travel down at great speed the slopes of the mountain, typically following the paths of valleys.
Today, one of the pyroclastic flows reached a distance of 3000 m, ie. the lower slopes. It needs to be pointed out that anything living in the path of these flows is killed, and even larger structures usually destroyed or completely burned. The exclusion zone of 5 km currently in place seems clearly to be too SMALL.
Even without vertical explosions, co-ignimbrite ash plumes from the pyroclastic flows reached an altitude of 9 km.
Contrary to some newspaper reports, there is currently NO lava flow. This could of course change if the lava from the dome becomes less viscous and becomes able to descend as a more or less coherent mass (lava flow) instead of breaking of and produce rockfalls that often turn into pyroclastic flows (hot block and ash avalanches, or nuées ardentes).

[Mokidugway]

El hierro seems to be settling down again going through deflation faze , which is handy for me as I will be visiting the island in a couple of weeks from la palma !..?

[john pike]

A new island formed from volcanic activity near Nishinoshima Island in the Ogasawara island chain south of Tokyo has expanded to around eight times its size at the time of its discovery last month, analysis revealed on Dec. 24.

 

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131225p2a00m0na008000c.html

[john pike]

Volcanic activity worldwide 2 Jan 2014: Sinabung, San Miguel, Kamchata & Guatemala updates

Thursday Jan 02, 2014 17:12 PM |

Glow from Shiveluch's active lava dome this evening (KVERT webcam)

Explosion and pyroclastic flow from Sinabung yesterday

Degassing plume from Popocatépetl yesterday

Degassing plume from Popocatépetl yesterday

Mild explosion from Fuego volcano (INSIVUMEH)

Gas plume from San Miguel seen from the ISS on 30 Dec (Image: Rick Mastracchio)

The new year begins with intense and dangerous activity in Indonesia:

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano's eruption continues with increasing and more and more frequent (every 15 minutes) explosions and pyroclastic flows from the growing lava dome. Ash plumes have been reaching 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude, run-out lengths of the pyroclastic flows approx. 2-3 km.

The lava dome has now reached an estimated volume of more than 2.5 cubic million meters and a larger collapse could generate pyroclastic flows that reach considerable greater distance and destroy several villages, the Jakarta Post mentions.

According to Ahmad Nabawi from the Sinabung monitoring post, 22 eruptions had occurred on Wednesday from midnight to noon. "Fortunately, the nearest villages are not situated in the path of the lava [pyroclastic flows, ann.], so the villages are safe for now,†he continued, the Jakarta post cites. The nearest villages and most at risk include Bekerah, Simacem, Sigarang-garang and Suka Meriah.

 

 

 

 

 

San Miguel (El Salvador): No new explosions have occurred at the volcano of Chaparrastique (San Miguel), but elevated degassing (SO2 flux estimated at about 2800 tons / day) suggests that new magma is still arriving inside the volcano and could lead to new eruptions.

Authorities decided to order evacuation of additional 3,000 people from the cities of San Miguel, San Jorge, San Rafael Oriente, and Chinameca. However, it appears that a significant number of people decided to return to their homes inside the danger zones, because of the apparent (and possibly very dangerous) lack of new activity in the past few days.

Analyzes of ash from the 30 Dec eruption indicate that they consist of 80% juvenile material (i.e. from new magma), which supports the idea that a new magma batch has risen inside the volcano and could lead to new activity in the near future. MARN also mentions that the absence of crystals in the juvenile glass matrix of the ash indicates that the magma rose quickly, i.e. without having time to form crystals. That further adds to the need to stay on alert, because a sudden eruption might just happen again.

 

Kamchatka and Alaska volcano updates

Klyuchevskoy (Kamchatka): The explosive-effusive eruption of the volcano finished on December 20, according to KVERT who placed the Aviation Color Code back to green today.

Since that date, the volcano has only produced its normally strong steam/degassing plume. Satellite images still show a thermal anomaly from the now cooling lava flows. Seismic activity continues at low levels. KVERT interprets some of these data that the magma column has descended and probably left a deep crater at the summit.

Karymsky (Kamchatka): Intermittent strombolian to vulcanian explosions continue to be registered. An ash plume of 1.5-2 km height was reported by KVERT extending about 120 km to the SE. A thermal anomaly is visible on satellite data, while no seismic data are currently available for technical reasons.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The eruption of the volcano continues with the new lava dome growing on the north-western part of the old lava dome. Moderate ash explosions up to 13,100-19,800 ft (4-6 km) a.s.l., fumarolic activity and incandescence of the dome summit and hot avalanches accompanies this process. Satellite data showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano. (KVERT daily report).

Tolbachik (Kamchatka): A thermal anomaly is still visible over the northern area of Tolbachinsky Dol. KVERT reports weak seismic activity of the volcano.

Bezymianny (Central Kamchatka Depression): Weak seismic activity of the volcano continues. According to video data, a moderate gas-steam activity was observed. Satellite data showed a weak thermal anomaly over the volcano (KVERT daily reports).

Gorely (Southern Kamchatka): Seismic activity of the volcano continues to be weak.

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Seismic activity of the volcano remains slightly above background, and alert level remains at Yellow. AVO has otherwise no indications of recent volcanic activity.

Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): Nothing unusual has been observed in mostly cloudy satellite views of Cleveland volcano over the past 24 hours. AVO has received no reports of activity from local observers. Since the brief explosion from at 4:06 UTC on 31 Dec, no signs of unrest have been detected.

Other ongoing activity:

Suwanose-jima (Tokara Islands, Japan): An explosion this morning sent an ash plume to 6,000 ft (1.8 km) altitude, VAAC Tokyo reported.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): No significant activity has occurred over the past 2 weeks.

Degassing, infrequent small emissions of mostly steam (less than 10 per day, typically) and continued glow from the crater are being reported by CENAPRED who maintain alert level "Yellow Phase 2" unchanged.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Weak to moderate explosions and abundant rock falls from the active flows on the NE and SE side of the Caliente lava dome were reported by INSIVUMEH.

Pacaya (Guatemala): Mild stombolian activity with ejections to 10-50 m height above the new cone inside Mackenney crater continue at intervals of approx. 30 seconds.

Fuego (Guatemala): The volcano's activity has remained unchanged and at relatively low levels, with weak to moderate strombolian explosions producing ash plumes of 300-700 m height.

[john pike]

 

current image of etna

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/40822/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-1-Jan-2014-Etna.html

[john pike]

Scientists have increased the threat level of Alaska's Cleveland Volcano from yellow to orange.The Alaska Volcano Observatory says the volcano appears to have kicked up to an elevated unrest. In the past six days, three brief explosions from Cleveland Volcano were detected.The color designation indicates that sudden explosions could send ash above 20,000 feet, threatening international air carriers. Cleveland is not monitored with seismic instruments. Observatory officials say minor ash plumes were observed in satellite data after two of the explosions. The height of the plumes is not known.The volcano is located on an uninhabited island in the Aleutian Islands.Last May the volcano experienced a low-level eruption. Cleveland's last significant eruption before that began in February 2011.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20140103-42134-USA

 

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latest (2014) | Nov-Dec 2013 | Jan-Oct 2013 | 2010

 

 

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra): eruption news and activity updates

 

Friday, Jan 03, 2014

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia) activity update

Eruption from Sinabung this morning (VSI webcam)

More explosions (and probably pyroclastic flows) occurred this morning. An ash plume rose to estimated 24,000 ft (7.3 km) altitude.

 

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Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia - the lava lake in Dec 2013

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/photos/erta-ale/dec2013/lavalake.html

Edited January 3, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

A terrible eruption on Sakurajima, an island in Kagoshima Bay having an active volcano, occurred yesterday at 10 a.m. Up to that time, since the night of the 10th, more than 70 earthquakes had been experienced in Kagoshima. With thundering sounds, the eruption was visible from all sides of Kagoshima. Columns of dark smoke cover the sky over the island. It would seem the people in the island are flying to the seashore for their lives. The latest report from the Home Ministry says that telegraphic communications between Kagoshima and Sakurajima have been cut off as the result of the eruption, and nothing can be known of the conditions in the volcanic isle.

 

update with more when it becomes available

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VE-20140104-42155-JPN