General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[john pike]

Stromboli volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy): lava flow shifts path towards northern section of Sciara again

Lava flow on Stromboli's Sciara del Fuoco this evening (INGV webcam)

Yesterday's lava overflow has established a new channel for the ongoing lava flow now along the upper northern part of Sciara del Fuoco, closer to the escarpment and more visible from the 400 m webcam. The previously active flow in the central part of the Sciara is now inactive.

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/stromboli/news.html

[john pike]

MH370: Deep sea volcanoes, ridges discovered in search for missing Malaysia Airlines airliner

Updated

28 Sep 2014, 10:29amSun 28 Sep 2014, 10:29am

Photo: Remnants of volcanoes, towering ridges and deep trenches were mapped in the search for missing MH370. (ATSB)

Map: Australia

Remnants of volcanoes, towering ridges and deep trenches have been discovered by experts mapping the southern Indian Ocean as part of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Australian authorities released the three-dimensional images, revealing for the first time details about the seafloor where efforts are being concentrated to find the jet, which is presumed to have crashed into the sea on March 8.

The area in which the plane is thought to have gone down is remote and largely unexplored, and officials are conducting an intensive survey of the seabed before the underwater probe for the plane can begin.

"The recently acquired high-resolution bathymetry (underwater survey) data has revealed many of these seabed features for the first time," the ATSB said in a statement.

Ocean mapping could aid MH370 hunt

Better ocean maps would assist in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, an expert says.

 

"It is also revealing finer-scale seabed features that were not visible in the previous low-resolution, satellite-derived bathymetry data."

The MH370 search area far off Western Australia includes the seabed on and around an extensive, mountainous ridge that once formed the margin between two geological plates.

The expanse has many of the features typically found in such areas, with the tectonic movements having created now-extinct volcanoes, rugged ridges up to 300 metres high and trenches some 1,400 metres deep compared to the surrounding sea floor, the ATSB said.

The area in which the plane is thought to have gone down is remote and largely unexplored. Officials are conducting an intensive survey of the seabed before the underwater probe for the plane can begin.

The bureau said the identification of these features would assist in navigation during the underwater search phase for the Boeing 777, which is due to begin next month.

 

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-27/deep-sea-volcanoes-discovered-in-search-for-mh370/5774122

[john pike]

The death toll from the eruption at Mt. Ontake rose to 50 on Saturday, a week after the 3,067-meter mountain started erupting, police and other sources said. Rescue workers found four presumably dead people near the peak of the mountain, and three of them was confirmed dead, the sources said. Search operations restarted on Saturday morning on the mountain that straddles the prefectures of Nagano and Gifu, after being suspended from late Thursday morning due to rain. About 930 members of the police, fire authorities and the Self-Defense Forces participated in the searches for at least 16 missing people who are believed to be on the mountain. They found the four in cardiopulmonary arrest. The searches were difficult because volcanic ash on the surface has turned into mud following rain. The police are trying to identify the four. At 11:52 a.m., residents of municipalities at the foot of the mountain, including the Nagano Prefecture town of Kiso, offered a moment of silence to pray for the dead. At the village of Otaki in the same prefecture, about 65 rescue workers on standby lined up and gave silent prayers. The eruption began at that time on Sept. 27. It is the worst volcanic disaster in the postwar period in Japan in terms of casualties.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VE-20140927-45436-JPN&uid=15359

[john pike]

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra): eruption news and activity updates Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia): moderately large pyroclastic flow this morning

Sunday Oct 05, 2014 07:50 AM | BY: T

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung this morning

Lava extrusion continues. A series of small to moderately sized pyroclastic flows occurred this morning at the volcano. The flows were likely produced as parts of the upper, unstable and still growing viscous lava dome on the SE flank collapsed:

Whether the apparently more intense activity is a sign of increased lava effusion is difficult to say.

• All news about: Sinabung volcano
• Information about: Sinabung volcano

 

 

[john pike]

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – A sustained reduction in sulfur dioxide emission and continuous surface inflation of Mayon Volcano may lead to a violent eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned yesterday.

Phivolcs-Bicol chief volcanologist Ed Laguerta issued the warning after Mayon’s gas emission dropped to 308 tons last Thursday, way below the normal 500 tons per day in the past 48-hour monitoring period.

He said the reduction in sulfur dioxide emission could mean that the lava dome protruding at the summit of the volcano is gradually blocking the crater.

“If Mayon’s crater is clogged by lava dome, a violent eruption is very likely to happen,†Laguerta told The STAR.

He said they are closely monitoring Mayon’s gas emission to determine if the drop would be a prelude to a small or big eruption.

But Laguerta noted that even a phreatic or ash explosion may be followed by bigger eruption once the deep-seated magma deposit is depressurized.

Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

 

He added that the absence of volcanic quakes in the past three days is not an indication that Mayon has calmed down.

Laguerta dismissed the idea of lowering Mayon’s alert level, saying that the 8,077-foot volcano’s activity might only be in a lull and that a hazardous eruption is highly possible.

Meanwhile, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda urged the Army teams to strictly enforce the no man’s land policy within the six-kilometer and seven-kilometer extended danger zones around Mayon.

“With the recent developments in the abnormal behavior of Mayon, we really could not take chances,†Salceda told The STAR.

He said relief goods from the national government and some foreign donors continued to arrive in the province.

Albay is spending at least P1.5 million a day to feed the over 12,000 families or 56,000 individuals housed in 40 evacuation centers in the province.

Phivolcs raised Mayon’s Alert Level to 3 last Sept. 15.

 

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/10/04/1376237/drop-mayons-gas-emission-may-lead-eruption

[john pike]

With rains pouring over Albay in Bicol for the past few weeks, local government officials are preparing for the possibility of a Mayon eruption coinciding with or being followed by a storm or typhoon. "We will expand our evacuation to up to 110,000 people because we will include populations very close to the river channels and the sea," said Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Head Cedric Daep on Monday, October 6. People living near river systems are at great risk from flood-driven lahar which usually find their way to river channels which are also old lahar paths. The expected hazardous eruption, due in weeks, could happen during the typhoon months of October or November. Such a combination can greatly increase casualties and damage such as what happened in the 2006 Mayon eruption followed by Typhoon Reming (international name Durian) 4 months later. Reming drove the just-expelled volcanic ash in the sides of the volcano down to the villages living at its feet. The deadly floods and lahar combination killed around 1,200 people and wrought P1.13 billion (US$2.5 million) worth of damage to agriculture, aquaculture and infrastructure. To prevent a similar disaster, the provincial government of Albay plans to relocate communities living near major waterways and the sea aside from the population who live in the 6 kilometer danger zone already in evacuation centers. The evacuation will be green-lighted once rainfall reaches beyond 6 millimeters per hour, which Daep says is the cue for lahar on the sides of the volcano to be driven down. This standard will apply regardless of the type of weather system pouring over the province, he added. The deadly lahar of 2006 was triggered by a record-high amount of 466 millimeters of rainfall in 12 hours. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the water-driven lahar flow began only around 10 minutes after the onset of Reming's floods at 2 pm on November 30, 2006. The swift-moving lahar and flood waters caused giant volcanic boulders to roll down its steep slopes. The lahar buried entire villages before making their way out to sea. While no volcanic quakes or significant number of rockfalls were detected in the past few days, Mayon remains at Alert Level 3 which means it is due for an eruption in weeks, said Phivolcs resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta. Though the volcano appears to be quiet, Phivolcs has observed a reverse pattern in the amount of gas released from the crater and the inflammation of the lower part of the volcano. "If magma is rising, it should be that the value of gas [released] is at least maintained. But what we're seeing is while it is inflating and the volume of rising magma is increasing, the gas value is going down," he told media. Last September 30, the amount of gas released was 1,251 tons average. On October 2, it went down to 308. On Sunday, October 5, it decreased further to 148. This means that gas from new magma rising to higher chambers isn't being released and is instead building up pressure inside the volcano, he explained. The higher the pressure inside the volcano, the more destructive the expected eruption may become.

 

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VE-20141005-45527-IDN&uid=15367

[john pike]

Volcanoes Today, 8 Oct 2014: Stromboli volcano, Bardarbunga, Copahue

Wednesday Oct 08, 2014 10:00 AM |

Lava flows on Stromboli's Sciara del Fuoco last evening

Total subsidence of the glacier surface above the Bárðarbunga caldera since the equipment was mounted on 12 September (IMO)

Ash emissions from Copahue volcano on 6 Oct 2014 (SERNAGEOMIN)

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): Lava continues to flow from the effusive vent under the NE crater and forms several active branches on the upper Sciara del Fuoco.

When observed last evening, the most advanced flow fronts were at 500-550 m elevation. Near-constant glowing rockfalls detach from the lava flows, sometimes reaching the lower parts of the Sciara.

Occasional ash emissions, sometimes with audible detonations occurred from the western vent at the summit craters.

Bardarbunga (Iceland): The eruption and seismic activity at the Holuhraun fissure continue with little variation. The Baardarbunga caldrta continues to subside at approx. 50 cm a day, accompanied by frequent earthquakes. Two magnitude 5.0 and 5.5 events yesterday were associated with a drop of the floor by approx. 60 cm alone!

IMO wrote: "Seismic activity around Bárðarbunga, and volcanic activity at the eruption site at Holuhraun, has been comparable to recent days.

]

Seismicity is low in the dyke intrusion; since the last report at 07:00 this morning around 15 earthquakes have been detected in the northern part of the dyke (less than 20 since midnight) and the strongest one was magnitude 1.1.

About 25 earthquakes have been detected around the Bárðarbunga caldera rim during the last 12 hours (40 since midnight), the strongest event there was magnitude 5.5 at 10:22 on the southeastern rim (and since midnight a 5.0 earthquake on the northwestern rim at 03:51 must be included). Additionally, eight more earthquakes exceeded magnitude 3 since 07:00 (11 since midnight).

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): A new phase of ash emissions began on the evening of 4 Oct. The volcano started to emit near continuous ash plumes, interrupted by strong degassing phases, from the active El Agrio crater. Seismic activity according to SERNAGEOMIN has been low suggesting that the origin of the new eruptions is phreatic, i.e. driven by steam explosions rather than fresh magma rising to the surface.

No incandescence has been observed, a further sign that the temperature is relatively low, typical for phreatic activity, and no thermal signal is visible on satellite data.

Copahue volcano started a phase of unrest in late 2012 with seismic swarms and increased degassing. Its alert level was lowered back to Green in April 2013, but activity picked up shortly again, in May, and increased to the point that a magmatic eruption was considered a possibility. Volcanic alert level was raised to red, along with evacuations as precaution.

[john pike]

A new topographic map of Earth's mysterious ocean floor reveals thousands of towering volcanoes, hidden gashes where supercontinents ripped apart and other never-before-seen features once veiled by miles of water and thick sediment.

The topography of Earth's seafloor is as corrugated and bumpy as a book set in Braille. By reading these peaks and ridges, scientists can chronicle the birth of new ocean crust and the past wanderings of Earth's continents.

However, even though the seafloor carries the pivotal clues to plate tectonics, the dry surface of Mars has been detailed more clearly than the ocean's watery depths.

 

 

The new map, released today (Oct. 2) in the journal Science, promises to fill in some of the blanks. Compared with the previous map, from 1997, the resolution is twice as accurate overall and four times as better in coastal areas and the Arctic, said lead study author David Sandwell, a marine geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. [Hidden Undersea Mountains Uncovered With Satellites (Photos)]

Eyes in the sky

As with the earlier 1997 map, scientists expect to improve their knowledge of Earth's geologic history based on new features revealed by the map's finer scale.

"I think these data are pretty important in terms of the details that are going to come out," Sandwell told Live Science.

The seafloor topography comes from a gravity model of the ocean, which is in turn based on altimetry from the Jason-1 and Cryosat-2 satellites.

Altimetry measures sea surface height from space by timing how long it takes a radar signal to reflect off the ocean and return. The ocean surface has subtle highs and lows that mimic both seafloor topography and Earth's gravity field.

"[These] results are a breakthrough in space-based marine gravity observation," Cheinway Hwang, who was not involved in the study, wrote in a commentary accompanying the report. Hwang is a professor at National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

 

thousands of volcanoes

The world's volcano count jumped tremendously thanks to the new map. The number of seamounts soared from around 5,000 to about 20,000, Sandwell said. Seamounts are small, conical volcanoes that are usually inactive or extinct. In the deep ocean, tall seamounts attract a riot of marine life. The map captures all seamounts more than 0.9 miles (1.5 kilometers) tall.

 

http://www.livescience.com/48124-new-seafloor-map-reveals-wonderland.html

 

more in link above

[john pike]

Volcanic ash showers from Mount Sinabung in Karo regency, North Sumatra, have for the last three days reportedly paralyzed Berastagi city, a popular tourist destination located 30 kilometers from the erupting volcano. Fhandi, a fruit trader in Berastagi, said most traders in the main traditional market and fruit market had closed their kiosks over fears that volcanic ash would cover their merchandise. "As the result, business here is paralyzed," Fhandi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, Fhandi said Berastagi and other areas in Karo regency were covered in thick layers of volcanic ash, turning the landscape grey. "During the dry season, the ash flies everywhere. However, in the rainy season, the ash turns into mud. Both are equally troublesome," he said. For the last three days Mt. Sinabung's eruptions have continued to intensify, emitting pyroclastic flows and spreading volcanic ash. On Wednesday, the volcano erupted twice at 00:45 a.m. and 12:42 p.m. Both eruptions caused pyroclastic flows as far as 3-km down Sinabung's southern slope and sent volcanic ash 3-km into the sky. Sinabung Emergency Response Task Force commander Lt. Col. Asep Sukarna said the volcano had continuously spewed pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash for five consecutive days. So far, according to Asep, the pyroclastic flows had not affected local residents as they had headed south to an area that had been vacant since last year when the volcano started erupting.

The pyroclastic flows, he said, headed in the direction of the Kuta Tonggal, Berastepu, Gamber and Guru Kinayan subdistricts, located 5-km from the crater. The only disturbing impact of the present eruptions, according to Asep, was the volcanic ash. He said residents in Berastagi were using masks to reduce the impact of the ash on their health. "Masks have been distributed in almost every corner of Berastagi," Asep told the Post on Wednesday. Meanwhile, it was business as usual for offices and schools, although many employees and students were wearing masks. The head of the Sinabung observation post, Armen Putra, said the volcano remained at the third level of alert despite increasing volcanic activities. Raising the alert status to level 4, the highest level, would trigger mandatory evacuations. He said there was no evacuation order for residents who had just returned to their respective houses. "The most important thing is that people have to be cautious about threats from Mt. Sinabung's eruptions," Armen said. Last year, an eruption from Mt. Sinabung killed 14 people and forced more than 33,000 others to flee their homes. The volcano began erupting again on Sunday, emitting pyroclastic flows that were deemed the largest in five months

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VE-20141005-45527-IDN&uid=15380

[john pike]

Volcanic tremors were detected Thursday in Mount Zao, which straddles Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, the Sendai Meteorological Observatory in Miyagi Prefecture said Thursday. Although no warning of an impending volcanic eruption has been issued, an official at the observatory said it will closely monitor the mountain because a sudden eruption like the one on Mount Ontake last month that killed dozens of hikers cannot be completely ruled out. According to the observatory, Yamagata University confirmed that a part of the water in the crater near the mountain summit turned muddy white on Wednesday for about 15 minutes. Such muddy white water was seen in the crater in 1940 when the mountain had a small-scale eruption. The observatory could not see any muddy water on Thursday, but it will investigate whether it was caused by hot water or gas related to magma activities, according to the officials. The observatory said it confirmed 18 volcanic earthquakes and three tremors between Sept. 30 and Thursday morning.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20141010-45582-JPN

[john pike]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2787764/Rock-awe-Indonesian-volcano-Mount-Sinabung-spews-lava-ash-continues-erupt-fourth-successive-day.html

 

some really good pictures on there

[john pike]

Volcano Eruption in Indonesia on Sunday, 05 October, 2014 at 12:25 (12:25 PM) UTC.(update)

 

A number of airlines have postponed flights from Kuala Namu International Airport in Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra, to destinations in the province and Aceh due to thick volcanic ash emitting from Mount Sinabung. Susi Air Sumatra region coordinator Rosindah said the flight stoppage to all destinations in North Sumatra and Aceh was temporary. However, she stated she was unaware how long the airline would not be serving these routes. "We cannot promise when we will resume operations. If Mt. Sinabung stops erupting, we will definitely fly," Rosindah told The Jakarta Post on Friday. She said the airline was afraid to fly all the routes while the volcanic eruption intensity remained high. All Susi Air's routes in North Sumatra and Aceh, said Rosindah, were covered in volcanic ash. "Every route to Simeuleu in Aceh, and Silangit, Aek Godang and Gunung Sitoli in North Sumatra, is currently covered in volcanic ash. We dare not fly before the situation is safe," added Rosindah. Based on information obtained at Kuala Namu airport on Thursday, at least four other airlines postponed flights and one airline cancelled a flight landing at the airport. A Jakarta-bound AirAsia flight was delayed from 7 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., a Garuda Indonesia flight to Jakarta was postponed from 8:35 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., an AirAsia flight to Batam, Riau Islands, was postponed from 8:50 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and an AirAsia flight to Penang, Malaysia, which was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. was rescheduled to 12 noon. A Value Air flight from Singapore to Kuala Namu was cancelled due to thick volcanic ash. Kuala Namu airport spokesman Dewandono Prasetyo said besides Susi Air, Value Air, Firefly and Wings Air had cancelled flights to Kuala Namu due to the volcanic ash. Airlines afraid to fly all routes while Mt. Sinabung eruption intensity remains high Sinabung was still emitting pyroclastic clouds as far as 2,000 meters down the mountain and spewing ash as high as 2,000 meters on Friday "Value Air cancelled a departure from Singapore, Firefly failed to leave for Penang, and Wings Air cancelled its flight to Sibolga, North Sumatra, due to the impact of the eruption," Dewandono told the Post on Friday. The continuing eruptions have also hit the tourism sector in Karo regency. In related developments, the Karo regency administration reported Mt. Sinabung was still emitting pyroclastic clouds as far as 2,000 meters down the mountain and spewing ash as high as 2,000 meters on Friday morning. The Karo regency administration stated that so far no casualties had been reported from the eruptions, which had been taking place from Oct. 5. "There are no evacuees and residents are still in their own homes," said regency spokesman Jhonson Tarigan on Friday. Kutagugung villager Usaha Sitepu said residents had been staying up outside their homes every night to monitor the situation. According to him, the volcanic activity had intensified in the past several days. "We are waiting for instructions from the government. If we're told to evacuate, we will definitely leave, if not we will remain at home while monitoring the mountain," said Sitepu, who claimed he had just returned from six months in the shelter. The volcano first erupted in September last year, killing at least 14 people and forcing thousands of others to flee their homes. Many residents have returned home after taking shelter for more than one year.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VE-20141005-45527-IDN&uid=15386

[john pike]

Volcanic activity worldwide 11 Oct 2014: Etna volcano, Nishino-shima

Saturday Oct 11, 2014 23:00 PM |

View into Etna's NEcrater today

Landsat 8 satellite image showing the Nishino-shima island on 8 Oct; white lines=contour of old island now covered by fresh lava flows (annotation: Culture Volcan)

Etna (Sicily, Italy): There are no significant changes or signs of a new paroxysm very soon. Sporadic weak explosions with ash emissions continue at the New SE crater. Tremor has remained low.

The summit vents when observed today showed (normal) strong degassing, with audible deep-seated explosion sounds coming from the NE crater.

Nishino-shima (Volcano Islands, Japan): The volcanic eruption on the remote island continues. A recent satellite image that the lava flows from the active vent(s) have now covered the older part of the island, the original tiny Nishino-Shima island.

The ongoing eruption had started as a submarine eruption almost one year ago, when it built a second island to the SE of the existing one. In early January this year, the growing new island had merged with the old one, and has been growing in size ever since.

Culture Volcan Blog posted the attached Landsat 8 photo from 8 Oct which shows that the old Nishino-Shima island has now disappeared under fresh lava flows.

Since late June-early July, the lava flows had been spreading northwards, covering more and more of the older land.

 

 

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia) activity update: frequent pyroclastic flows up to 4.5 km long

Saturday Oct 11, 2014 23:09 PM | BY: T

Large pyroclastic flow on Sinabung on 9 Oct 2014 (source: Volcano Alert @infoVolcano / Twitter)

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung on 7 Oct (Volcano Alert @infoVolcano / Twitter)

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung on 7 Oct (Volcano Alert @infoVolcano / Twitter)

Activity has picked up considerably at the volcano during the past days. Several pyroclastic flows (dangerous hot avalanches of fragmented lava and hot gasses) traveled down the SE (and some on the NE) flanks of the volcano, threatening again the closest inhabited areas to the S of Sinabung.

The flows originated by collapses on the viscous growing lava lobe on the steep southeastern flank of the volcano and traveled distances of 3-4.5 km. Some still inhabited villages on the southern feet of the volcano are now at elevated risk.

Ash fall has occurred in more than 12 km distances as a result of the so-called co-ignimbrite ash plumes (rising ash from the avalanches) that rose to several km height. Some ash plumes reached Medan airport where several flights have been cancelled.

• All news about: Sinabung volcano
• Information about: Sinabung volcano

[john pike]

Volcanoes Today, 11 Oct 2014: Sinabung volcano, Copahue

Sunday Oct 12, 2014 00:00 AM |

Large pyroclastic flow on Sinabung on 9 Oct 2014 (source: Volcano Alert @infoVolcano / Twitter)

Explosive activity at Copahue - sequence of the second explosion yesterday (Images: SERNAGEOMIN, annotation: Culture Volcan)

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity has picked up considerably at the volcano during the past days. Several pyroclastic flows (dangerous hot avalanches of fragmented lava and hot gasses) traveled down the SE (and some on the NE) flanks of the volcano, threatening again the closest inhabited areas to the S of Sinabung.

The flows originated by collapses on the viscous growing lava lobe on the steep southeastern flank of the volcano and traveled distances of 3-4.5 km. Some still inhabited villages on the southern feet of the volcano are now at elevated risk.

Ash fall has occurred in more than 12 km distances as a result of the so-called co-ignimbrite ash plumes (rising ash from the avalanches) that rose to several km height. Some ash plumes reached Medan airport where several flights have been cancelled.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Activity has picked up at the volcano: at least two moderately strong explosions occurred yesterday 11 Oct at 06:25 and 14:53 local time, with ash plumes rising more than 1000 m. In addition, intermittent incandescence from the crater has been visible during the night 10-11 Oct.

At the moment, it is unclear whether this activity is driven by fresh magma approaching the crater or simply phreatic in nature, i.e. caused by steam explosions from the hydrothermal system that could have lead to the release of hot, incandescent gasses seen at night.

The frequent, sometimes continuous steam and ash emissions that had been observed during the previous days seem to have gradually become stronger, webcam imagery suggests.

[john pike]

Mount Ontake rescuers race against typhoon as death toll rises to 56

Kyodo

 

• Oct 12, 2014

NAGANO – Rescuers on Sunday raced to find more bodies on Mount Ontake as an approaching typhoon raised the risk of another suspension in the wake of the fatal eruption two weeks ago.

On Saturday, the teams found the body of another eruption victim near the volcano’s peak, bringing the official death toll to 56.

The victim was identified as Hiromitsu Takagi, 37, from the village of Minami-Minowa in Nagano Prefecture, local police said.

Parts of another body were also found nearby, but police said identifying the remains would take time. Both the body and the remains were found under boulders as some 550 police officers, firefighters and Ground Self-Defense Force troops combed the mountain for signs of the missing hikers.

Seven people are still listed as missing on the volcano.

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/10/12/national/one-body-recovered-mount-ontake-raising-volcanic-blasts-death-toll-56/#.VDsGirQtzIJ

[john pike]

Mayon volcano (Luzon Island, Philippines) activity update: extrusion of viscous lava flow, warning of possible explosive eruption

Monday Oct 13, 2014 19:12 PM | BY: T

A viscous lava flow started to descend from the summit crater of the volcano on the southeast slope. On Sunday, it was approx. 350 m long and advancing slowly, with incandescence visible at night.

According to an interview with Philvolcs scientists, the present situation is similar to the days before a large explosion occurred in 1986. The currently slow extrusion could be the foreplay of a potentially dangerous and large explosive eruption. This scenario could occur if the lava flow is caused by new, gas-rich magma, which is now rising and currently pushing out an overlying column of older, degassed and viscous lava above it in the conduit.

According to press articles, more than 12,000 people have been evacuated from areas close to the volcano and a 6 km exclusion zone is in place. Other hazards include landslides and pyroclastic flows if parts of the lava flow collapse.

• All news about: Mayon volcano
• Information about: Mayon volcano

[john pike]

Poás volcano (Costa Rica): strong phreatic explosion from crater lake

Tuesday Oct 14, 2014 09:41 AM | BY: T

Today's phreatic eruption of Poás volcano (OVSICORI-UNA webcam)

Eruption on 8 Oct

A strong phreatic explosion occurred this morning at the crater lake, ejecting mud and water to more than 200 m height and reaching the observation platform.

According to first news articles, nobody was hurt, but the visiting areas have been evacuated.

Today's explosion follows a similar one 6 days ago (8 Oct).

• All news about: Poas volcano
• Information about: Poas volcano

[john pike]

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/long_valley/long_valley_monitoring_1.html

 

long valley area

 

 

swarms are not uncommon here

 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/

 

but interesting to watch

Edited October 14, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

Sinabung volcano (Sumatra, Indonesia) activity update: continuing pyroclastic flows

Wednesday Oct 15, 2014 09:35 AM | BY: TOMPFEIFFER

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung a few days ago

Part of our group on the Round-The-World tour at Sinabung

The eruption at the volcano continues. An expedition of our team is on location and observed near-continuous rockfalls and frequent pyroclastic flows caused by collapses on the lava flow reaching up to 4-5 km distance. The flows travel through two channels, on the south and to the north.

The increased phase of lava effusion and associated pyroclastic flows caused began about 2 weeks ago. VSI maintains alert level 3 (out of 4).

Seismic activity has been dominantly volcanic earthquakes and low-frequency quakes, representing magma pushing its way up to the surface, according to the volcano observatory.

Evacuation of the local people is still in process. Many inhabitants in endangered areas have moved to stay with other families in Berastagi or Medan city.

• All news about: Sinabung volcano
• Information about: Sinabung volcano

[john pike]

Volcanoes Today, 16 Oct 2014: Stromboli volcano, Ibu, Augustine, Dukono, Shishaldin

Thursday Oct 16, 2014 10:00 AM |

Lava flows at Stromboli last night (INGV webcam)

ASTER satellite image on google map showing Ibu's lava flow on 5 Sep (image: Culture Volcan)

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): There are signs that the lava flow eruption could be approaching an end soon. Lava effusion rate has dropped although a weak lava flow continues to be active on the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco.
INGV Catania reports strong degassing and that ash emissions from the summit vents have decreased.

Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): A viscous lava flow continues to be active on the northern flank of the volcano. The flow, similar to the one currently active at Santiaguito volcano in Guatemala, starts as an overflow from the lava dome in the crater, and forms a lobe traveling through a breach of the crater rim into a ravine extending north of the volcano.
Based on satellite data, it was about 1600-1700 m long in early September, and had been progressing at approx. 6 m per day. According to eyewitness reports, weak to moderate explosive activity accompanies the extrusion of the flow. The volcano's current activity phase of dome-building had begun in 1998.
A team of VolcanoDiscovery will be on its way in the next weeks to observe the volcano on location. We hope to be able to present you more information then.

Dukono (Halmahera): Ash emissions continue. Darwin VAAC reported several ash plumes rising to estimated 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude and extending up to approx. 100 km NE.

Augustine (Cook Inlet (SW Alaska)): Strong ash emissions from the volcano were reported by a pilot shortly after midnight (UTC). The reported height of the plume was to up to 70,000 ft (21 km) altitude, which would indicate an unexpected, and sudden major explosion took place (if the observed plume was volcanic ash and not something else). Anchorage VAAC raised the Aviation Color Code to RED.
No ash could be identified on satellite imagery, and the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has not issued any comment. In a subsequent VAAC, "ash emissions have ended", Anchorage wrote. It seems likely an unusual weather cloud had been mistaken for a volcanic plume.

Shishaldin (United States, Aleutian Islands): Low-level eruptive activity likely continues at the volcano, AVO writes: "Elevated surface temperatures were detected in satellite data from this morning. Sound waves coupling into the ground (ground-coupled air waves) from small explosions as well as small pulses of tremor are occasionally detected in seismic data." (AVO)

 

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Volcano Activity in Philippines on Thursday, 16 October, 2014 at 03:22 (03:22 AM) UTC.

Description

A faint crater glow caused by new magma, which is possibly near the crater of Mayon, points to the fact that the Mayon volcano is on its high unrest status, according to a veteran volcanologist. The crater glow was observed starting at 3am up to early morning yesterday. Ed Laguerta, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology resident volcanologist, said the faint glow may become intense. Lagueta said during the regular media briefing on the 2014 Mayon Volcano Eruption Operation that this is one of the recent developments, after lava flowed down 350 metres from the summit on Sunday. He said if the new magma continues to ascend, the crater glow will become moderate, then intense. The veteran volcanologist said that if the glow becomes intense, this would mean that the volcano is about to erupt. Aside from the glow, there will be continuous quakes or harmonic tremors and ground vibrations. Laguerta said they are also closely monitoring the steaming activity at the western side of the volcano, facing the town of Camalig. "If there is steaming, that means this portion of the volcano is soft, which further means that the magma or lava can exit through it," he added. The Phivolcs official said the observance of ground deformation they are conducting will be finished soon. "If the result shows that the lower ground is no longer inflated, it is dangerous because it means magma is already nearing the mouth of Mayon," he stressed. Aside from this, Laguerta said, the volume of sulphuric dioxide (SO2) emission is very low at 187 metric tonnes, which means the crater of Mayon is still sealed, which could lead to the volcano's increased strength.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20141016-45660-PHL

Edited October 16, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

KÄ«lauea volcano eruption update

Lava flow continues to advance slowly towards Pahoa

Update Fri 17 Oct 14:46

Very slowly advancing lava flow SW of Pahoa

Map of the June 27th lava flow in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone in relation to lower Puna. The area of the flow on October 13, 2014, at 9:30 AM is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on October 15 at 10:30 AM is shown in red (HVO / USGS)

The June 27th lava flow advancement has slowed, with the leading edge of the flow moving only a few tens of meters (yards) over the past two days.

Nevertheless, active breakouts persist around the flow front, as shown in this photo by the continued burning of vegetation along the flow margins. On 15 Oct morning, the flow front was 1.1 km (0.7 miles) from Apaʻa St., as measured along a straight line. (HVO / USGS)

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/hawaii/kilauea/current-activity.html

[john pike]

Authorities in southwestern Colombia have raised alert levels on Tuesday after a 5.6M earthquake hit the border region, sparking concerns that two nearby volcanoes might erupt in a matter of days. 

Colombia’s Geological Service have changed the alert level of two volcanoes from yellow to orange. The two volcanoes are Cerro Negro and Chiles, both active on Colombia’s southern border to Ecuador.

The orange alert level is defined by the Geological Service as â€œprobable eruption in term of days to weeks.â€

The earthquake that hit the border region causes a scare on both side of the border.

Officials in the Colombian town of Cumbal, near the quake’s epicenter, were quoted as saying by The Associated Press that they formed an emergency committee to survey possible damage. But so far, there were no reports of injuries in the town of 36,000 residents, the majority of them members of an indigenous tribe.

“It was really strong, every house†felt it, Jose Diomedes Juezpesan, the town’s top official, told AP.

If the volcanoes are to erupt, it will mostly affect the state Nariño. Local state government have started to take security measures in order prevent tragedies.

 

Nariño government officials have recommended suspending school classes, delivered a special communication system to indigenous communities in the area and offered the indigenous communities tents if the evacuate their premise while the volcanoes are on high alert.

Neither one of the volcanoes have erupted in the past 160,000 years.

 

http://colombiareports.co/colombia-border-volcano-can-erupt-couple-days/

 

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/cerro-negro-de-mayasquer/news/48540/Cerro-Negro-de-Mayasquer-volcano-Colombia-magnitude-58-earthquake-alert-level-raised.html

Edited October 22, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

Volcanic activity worldwide 24 Oct 2014: Etna volcano, Stromboli, Bardarbunga, Kilauea, Sakurajima, ...

Friday Oct 24, 2014 16:17 PM |

Lava flows on Stromboli's Sciara del Fuoco and small ash emission this morning (INGV webcams)

Small ash emission from Etna's New SE crater

Earthquakes today under Bárdarbunga volcano (IMO)

Vulcanian explosion at Sakurajima this morning (Tarumizu webcam)

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung on 23 Oct 2014 (VSI webcam)

The lava flow advancing towards Pahoa on 22 Oct (image: USGS / annotations Culture Volcan)

Ash emission from Copahue last evening

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): There are no signs the effusive eruption is slowing down. A lava flow is being erupted from the vent at 650 m elevation and currently feeds two active branches on the upper Sciara del Fuoco.

Intense degassing and sporadic small explosions occur from the summit vents.

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Occasional explosions from the New SE crater seem to continue. Small ash emissions could be observed on the morning of 22 Oct when clear weather allowed clear views of the crater. Tremor remains low at the moment.

Bardarbunga (Iceland): The volcanic eruption in Holuhraun continues at similar rate, and has now been going on for more than 50 days.

The erupted lava flow volume approaches 1 cubic kilometers and the lava flows now cover over 63 square km.

A large lava lake above the central section of the fissure vent has formed and feeds a wide river of lava:

A pink #sunset over the #Holuhraun volcanic eruption in #Iceland, taken from a helicopter: t.co/WiCMD8gOwf pic.twitter.com/ZUQQKLpczy— Iceland Naturally (@IcelandNatural) October 23, 2014

Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): KVERT reported that an explosive eruption at Zhupanovsky continued during 10-17 October.

Satellite images detected a thermal anomaly on the volcano during 10-12 October, and ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 9 km (29,500 ft) a.s.l. on 11 October and drifted 411 km NE during 11-12 October. Cloud cover prevented satellite views of the volcano on the other days. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange. (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 15-21 October 2014)

Chirpoi (Kurile Islands, Russia): A thermal anomaly at the volcano was detected on satellite data during 15-16 October.

Ontake-san (Honshu): The volcano continues to produce white steam plumes rising a few 100 m above the crater. According to press articles, 7 people are still missing from the 27 Sep eruption, but search and rescue operations are being suspended until springtime because of the winterly conditions. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Following a week of relatively low activity, the volcano has become more active again during the past days. A particularly strong vulcanian explosion occurred this morning and produced an ash plume that rose to 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.

 

Mayon (Luzon Island): PHIVOLCS reported that during 14-21 October white plumes rose from Mayon's crater and drifted NW, W, WSW, SW, and SE. On 14 October a seismic signal indicating a rockfall was recorded and a brief period of incandescence from the crater was observed.

A few volcanic earthquakes were recorded during 18-21 October. On 19 October weak incandescence from the crater was noted. A new lava flow first observed that same day was 300-400 m long on 20 October based on an aerial survey.

Weak crater incandescence from the lava dome was again seen on 21 October. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 0-5 scale). (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 15-21 October 2014)

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): A volcanic ash plume at 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude and extending 40 nautical miles to the NW was repoerted by Darwin VAAC Monday morning based on satellite data. This could suggest a small eruption occurred at the volcano.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Pyroclastic flows have decreased in size and frequency, but continued to occur at least until yesterday. Cloudy weather prevents detailed observations most of the time.

Kilauea (Hawai'i): The lava flow continues to advance towards Pahoa and might cut the first road very soon. During an overflight on 22 Oct, the most advanced front of the 27 June flow, a narrow lobe, was only approx. 480 m away from the Apa'a road.

The rate of advance of the flow, now at 21 km distance from its vent, has been highly variable, from an average rate of about 80 m/day during the previous week to rates as high as 300 m/day (330 yd/day) at times from Monday to Wednesday.

If the advance of the lava continues at current rates, the first lava to touch the Apa'a road could occur within hours or days. A mobile monitoring station was installed to continuously keep track of the progression of the lava.

For the time being, no evacuations are ordered for residents of Pahoa or Kaohe Homesteads, but the Pahoa Recycling and Transfer Station will close on Friday and will be temporarily (or permanently) relocated to an area on Kauhale Road approximately 2 km to the east, where it is thought to be outside the path of potential lava flows following the dominant topographic slope.

Shishaldin (United States, Aleutian Islands): AVO reported that, although cloud cover often obscured views of Shishaldin during 15-21 October, seismicity indicated that a low-level eruption was likely continuing.

Elevated surface temperatures at the summit were periodically detected in cloud-free satellite images. Tremor and ground-coupled airwaves from small explosions were occasionally detected in seismic data. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch. (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 15-21 October 2014)

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Although activity has decreased a bit, intense degassing and sporadic small ash emissions as well as crater glow continue at the volcano.

SERNAGEOMIN warns of the possibility of sudden explosions and recommends an exclusion zone of 3 km radius around the volcano's crater.

 

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/48609/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-24-Oct-2014-Etna-volcano-Stromboli-Bardarbunga-Kilauea-Sakurajima-.html

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A volcano in southern Japan only 40 miles from a nuclear power plant is showing signs of threatening to erupt. Japanese authorities issued the warning today after the calamitous eruption of Mount Ontake killed 57 hikers in Japan's worst volcanic disaster in nearly 90 years last month. Japan's Meteorological Agency's volcano division said that the volcano Ioyama, a mountain on the southwestern island of Kyushu, had been shaken by small tremors - some lasting as long as seven minutes. Ioyama lies in the volcanically active Kirishima mountain range - roughly 40 miles from the Sendai nuclear plant. "There is an increase in activity that under certain circumstances could even lead to a small scale eruption, but it is not in danger of an imminent, major eruption," the official said. Although the level of the mountain has only been raised to the second lowest level - normal - this signifies that the crater is dangerous. The government is keen is restart the Sendai plant, run by Kyushu Electric Power Co., despite a negative public perception of nuclear power following the Fukishma catastrophe. The plant also lies only 31 miles from the active volcano Mount Sakurajima - which erupts frequently. The crater was upgraded to a level 3 warning level on Friday, which means that people should not approach the peak. The plant may not restart until next year as it still needs to pass operational safety checks in addition to gaining the approval of local authorities. Nonetheless, the Nuclear Regulartion Authority (NRA) claimed the chance of a major eruption during the lifespan of the nuclear pleant was negible. Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire" - a horseshoe-shaped band of fault lines and volcanoes around the edges of the Pacific Ocean - and is home to more than 100 active volcanoes. Experts warn that the mammoth 9.0 March 2011 quake may have increased the risk of volcanic activity throughout Japan, including that of iconic Mount Fuji.

 

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/index.php?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20141024-45754-JPN

[SteveB]

Bi of a shocking story running in the Daily Mail today.

 

I think I would be very worried reading that if I lived in Japan. I would also expect the rest of the world would feel the affects as well.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2807549/Japan-destroyed-100-years-giant-volcanic-eruption-scientists-claim.html

Edited October 25, 2014 by SteveB

[john pike]

Kilauea volcano update: Lava crosses Apa‘a Street, enters Pahoa

Saturday Oct 25, 2014 21:12 PM | BY: T

The 2 active lava fronts advancing towards Apa'a Street just before the contact earlier today (HVO)

The lava flows have now crossed the Apa'a Street and thus, formally, entered the area of the village of Pahoa.
The lava flow advance accelerated Thursday and has been progressing along 2 lobes with speeds of up to 10 meters per hour.
The first lava touched the road at around 3:30 am local time this morning, just south of the evacuated Transfer Station (waste plant).
So far, no evacuations are on order for Pahoa itself, but the situation is becoming tenser with each hour as lava continues to approach inhabited areas. If current rates of lava flow advances continue, first evacuations could become necessary within 3-5 days.

• All news about: Kilauea volcano
• Information about: Kilauea volcano

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volcanic activity worldwide 25 Oct 2014: Bardarbunga volcano, Sinabung, Kirishima

Saturday Oct 25, 2014 18:14 PM |

Pyroclastic flow on Sinabung this morning

Bardarbunga (Iceland): The eruption seems to continue with no changes, but there were no visual observations today. IMO writes:
"Seismic activity on the Bárðarbunga caldera rim continues at comparably high rates as in recent days. Activity in the dyke intrusion was rather low during the last 26 hours since the last report, seismicity around Herðubreið has slightly decreased.
"Approximately 110 earthquakes have been detected around the Bárðarbunga caldera. Strongest events were M5.2 today at 01:48 on the northern caldera rim and M5.0 yesterday at 10:23 on the north-eastern rim. Additionally, seven earthquakes were in the range of M4.0-4.9 and a dozen M3.0-3.9.


Kirishima (Kyushu): The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a "near crater warning" for the Shinmoedake vent of Kirishima volcano last Friday. Increased earthquake activity were detected and mean an increased risk of a possible (probably phreatic) explosions.
Following last months deadly eruption of Ontake-san, news articles about this (routine) event have exploded, focusing on the potential hazards of a volcanic eruption towards the Sendai nuclear power plant, located in the city of Satsumasendai in the Kagoshima Prefecture, approx. 40 km away from the volcano.
While a small to moderate eruption could threaten anybody in the immediate vicinity of the volcano, only an exceptionally large (on a global scale) eruption would likely be a threat to this. At the moment, nothing seems to be pointing towards such a scenario.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): More pyroclastic flows have occurred today. A larger one this morning at 09:47 local time probably reached 3-4 km length and produced an ash plume that rose to 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.

 

Edited October 26, 2014 by john pike