Vikings Volcanic Activity Thread

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

It is crazy but i suppose it works for our benefir when we get to see what's happening there, while we sit comfortably in our living room!

I am new to volcano watching and might be wrong, but it seems to be a lot of activity lately!

Karyo

If said person was a qualified vulcanologist who knew what he/she was doing perhaps, but a TV cameraman? Yes there does seem to be a fair bit going on at the moment but volcano watching can be a bit like that, like buses, nothing and then several come along at once

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - REDOUBT

Seisimic activity has again settled down and been fairly stable today and we are back to ongoing low-level tremor being punctuated by occasional volcanic earthquakes. As I said before I suspect we may be back to the start of a phase of lava-dome building again, after the explosion the other day blew away the old one.

Not very good views on the webcams today. The Hut webcam is covered in snow/ash, the Cook Inlet cam is just showing gunk again and the DFR cam is showing the bottom half of the volcano but the top half is obscured by snow cloud. You can see freshly fallen snow on the volcanos flanks on this cam:

Redoubt DFR cam

Edited April 6, 2009 by Shetland Coastie

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

I was wondering whether the earthquake had anything to do with this volcano causing stresses in the area.

http://boris.vulcanoetna.it/ALBANI.html

Indeed. Interesting read that. If not causing then amplifying or adding to perhaps? Or looking at the flip-side of that coin, perhaps a large earthquake nearby could hurry along what appears to be a volcano awakening from its slumbers? Given Colli Albanis proximity to Rome and other population centres, perhaps in the near future it may be classified as a 'Decade Volcano?'

Theres been quite of lot studies recently, where scientists have discovered either that volcanic centres that were previously thought to be dormant or extinct are perhaps not so, or indeed that volcanic centres are appearing where none was thought to exist before. Some of these, such as Lazufre in Chile and Uturuncu in Bolivia, have the potential to be massive calderas in the making , of the order of Yellowstone. Or indeed the recent research that showed that Nyiragongo in the DR Congo, may very well be the outlet for a mantle plume. What has brought all this to light is modern satellite imagery and instrumentation which have revealed the uplift being caused by these centres.

[Rollo]

Just a note SC-looking at the times on line this AM there was a mention of a spate of very small earthquakes around Yellowstone but I have heard nothing further thus far today.

[Roger J Smith]

Just an update, despite a few intervals of clear, sunny weather here, I have not observed any volcanic dust or ash clouds here, which is not to say that they haven't drifted across the region at other times. It may be a while now as the flow has reversed and is currently taking the ash well away from here. Great reporting on the events here, thanks for all that.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - REDOUBT

Due to the decline in seismicity at the moment, AVO has lowered the alert state to ORANGE. Going by their previous record so far, that probably means another explosive eruption is imminent :lol:

They have also confirmed what we suspected, a new lava dome is now growing in the crater.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - REDOUBT

Seisimicity continues to be elevated with numerous volcanic earthquakes. The volcano continues to vent a plume of steam/gas with small traces of ash. The alert state remains at ORANGE.

3.7 million gallons of crude oil have susccessfully been removed from the Drift River Oil terminal as a precautionary measure. The tanker Seabulk Arctic is now on its way to the Nikiski Oil Terminal where the oil will be stored.

Flank webicorder

Edited April 9, 2009 by Shetland Coastie

[LadyPakal]

Here's why the oil has been moved:

http://volcanism.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/...r-oil-terminal/

Some NASA images of the lahars surrounding the terminal.

Edited - an interesting blog I'd not come across before:

http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/

Edited April 9, 2009 by LadyPakal

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE -REDOUBT

Elevated seismicity continues although its been a fairly quiet day at the volcano. Satellite images taken yesterday show growth of a new lava dome as suspected. AVO also say that there is a continuous SO2 plume extending some 600 miles from the volcano although when I asked them for an idea of how much SO2 Redoubt was pumping out they were non-committal, saying they don't have any peer-reviewed figures yet so I suppose we'll have to be patient!

Image below is of the extensive SO2 cloud:

Edited - an interesting blog I'd not come across before:

http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/

Hi Lady P

Good pics. Yes thats the blog of Dr.Erik Klemetti, excellent blog, I posted the link a few weeks back but good to remind us all again

[cyclonic happiness]

I know this may seem like a little naive, but could this increased (seemingly) activity be linked to changes in ice density at the poles causing a "bouncing" back effect of the continental crusts?

A bit like Britain is still doing from the last cold part of this ice age?

I'm sure that would be bound to upset a few volcanoes?

Edited April 9, 2009 by cyclonic happiness

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

I know this may seem like a little naive, but could this increased (seemingly) activity be linked to changes in ice density at the poles causing a "bouncing" back effect of the continental crusts?

A bit like Britain is still doing from the last cold part of this ice age?

I'm sure that would be bound to upset a few volcanoes?

Im no expert but my guess would be no. The difference between the volumes of ice around now (or in historical times) and that at the end of the ice age are huge. I know that as you say Britain has been 'bouncing back' i.e. rising (because the land was depressed due to the sheer weight of the ice above) but what you have to remember is Britain was under a humungous thickness of ice for a sustained period of time so I dont think that is what we are seeing here.

Back end of last year I asked the experts at the Global Volcanism Program (run by the Smithsonian Institute) if there was any aparrent increase in volcanic activity recently and they said no. The activity we are seeing is still within the bounds of what would be considered 'normal.' What I will do though is give it another couple of months to see if this current pace continues and if so, ask them again. Be interesting to see what they think.

[cyclonic happiness]

thanks for your reply SC, i value your opinion and think you do a jolly good job on this thread

I will keep in mind what you have said and watch with great eagerness future developements both in the volcanic field and in this thread :-)

[Terminal Moraine]

I know this may seem like a little naive, but could this increased (seemingly) activity be linked to changes in ice density at the poles causing a "bouncing" back effect of the continental crusts?

A bit like Britain is still doing from the last cold part of this ice age?

I'm sure that would be bound to upset a few volcanoes?

The short answer to this is no. The ice at the North Pole is floating and although it has huge mass its overall effect is to displace sea water, any reduction in the volume of ice therefore has no overall impact on the weight pressing down on the underlying crust. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt there would almost certainly be some isostatic recovery in that area as the great weight of ice there is in direct contact with the land surface and is comparable with the thickness of ice experienced in places like northern Britain and Scandinavia during the last ice age.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

Tks TM, I thought that would be the case

UPDATE - LLAIMA

The strombolian activity at Llaima which was giving rose for concern has significantly quietened. The main cone is now completely covered in pyroclastic debris, the strombolian eruptions have ceased and the volcano is currently emitting only a stream of SO2 gas and hydrochloric acid. The alert state, however, remains at RED for the time being as this volcanio is highly unpredictable.

thanks for your reply SC, i value your opinion and think you do a jolly good job on this thread

I will keep in mind what you have said and watch with great eagerness future developements both in the volcanic field and in this thread :-)

Cheers cyclonic, much appreciated

Edited April 10, 2009 by Shetland Coastie

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

ERUPTION! - FERNANDINA - GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Fernandina volcano on the Galapagos Island of the same name has erupted, ist first eruption since 2005. The eruption is from a new crater and has emitted an ash column, gas and lava.

The Galapagos Islands have been formed in a similar way to the Hawaiian Islands in that they lie above a hotspot on the Nazca plate. Fernandina (also known as La Cumbre) has been the most active of the Galapagos volcanos. Normally this means its eruptions are usually effusive in the same way as Kilaeua is in Hawaii, however, this is not always the case and the volcano can erupt explosively from time to time. This last happened in 1967 with a VEI4 eruption.

Fernandina Island is uninhabited but is home to some of the Galapagos Islands unique wildlife including Marine Iguanas, a species of flightless Cormorant as well as penguins, sea lions & pelicans.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Shetland Coastie

[Louby]

Thanks for the updates Bob :lol:

Is there any map that shows recent eruptions? when I say recent the past 6 months?

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

Thanks for the updates Bob :lol:

Is there any map that shows recent eruptions? when I say recent the past 6 months?

Not that I've come across Loubs but I'll have a look and see what I can find.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE -REDOUBT

A similar day to yesterday with ongoing, elevated seisimicity and frequent, sometimes moderate amplitude earthquakes symptomatic of another lava-dome building phase. The alert state remains at ORANGE.

[ukweathergirl]

Although it's not completely relating to the volcano on the Galapagos Islands this was something I saw this morning

http://news.aol.co.uk/volcano-eruption-thr...225231133497211

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - FERNANDINA

Some pictures of the eruption of La Cumbre on Fernandina island in the Galapagos chain.:

Sky News - Fernandina pics

The eruption is from a long fissure and is spewing lava into the ocean.

[ukweathergirl]

wow great images - is it me or is the lava rising up a little from the flow?

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

wow great images - is it me or is the lava rising up a little from the flow?

Yes ukwg you're right, the lava is 'foutaining' you quite often get this with a fissure eruption :unsure:

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - MOUNT REDOUBT - ALASKA

Activity remains much as before with elevated seismicity and frequent earthquakes, some of which are of fairly moderate intensity. AVO confim a new lava dome is growing at the summit.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

YELLOWSTONE

An interesting article from the YVO (Yellowstone Volcano Observatory) on the earthquake swarm in the park in Dec 08/Jan09.

YVO Yellowstone article

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

UPDATE - REDOUBT

Similar activity to yesterday with a steam/gas plume with occasional minor amounts of ash in evidence and further growth of the lava dome. A thermal anomaly from the lava dome has been detected on satellite imagery.

the Hut webcam has now been zoomed right in so you can get clear, close up views of the lava dome and the steam/gas column.

Hut webcam

Edited April 17, 2009 by Shetland Coastie