General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[The PIT]

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.

Depends on whether the magma chamber keeps recharging. Last time I looked the island was still inflating whether it still is I don't know. Canary Island eruptions tend to be fairly small in recent history however that doesn't mean anything. If you look at Hawaii and Kilauea the supply and discharge rates are matching which is why the eruption has been going on for so long.

[tinybill]

this the latest from the spanish facebook page

Current Volcanic Islands (AVCAN)

In this article the country Have the three possible eruption, right now, the underwater eruption in El Hierro, type 2 in the country lel article yesterday WAS defined by Ramon Ortiz, a researcher at the CSIC ECOM Surtseyana type, by the eruption on the island of Surtsey (Enrique). This type of volcanic phenomena have four Phases, we are in the first: -The first, In Which enc uentra the process now, Which Involves the removal of gas bubbles of lava That When They lose sink. -A second stage Where You Can See a column of white steam of about 500m. The third-observe black explosions, Known as rooster tails. -The Quarter in Which You Can view the growth of a small island.

[john pike]

Reports speak of a violent volcanic eruption of Mount Shiveluch on Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. Smoke and ash from the volcano have climbed to 10 kilometres, sparking no-fly warnings for the surrounding area. Snow around the crater is rapidly melting, creating mudslides. Shiveluch supports a caldera of 1.5 kilometres in diameter. Its current activity period started in 1980

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VE-20111016-32715-RUS

[summer blizzard]

What do people think to the idea that Iceland is an emerging igneous province and that it will eventually become one giant fissure like Laki already is.

[The PIT]

What do people think to the idea that Iceland is an emerging igneous province and that it will eventually become one giant fissure like Laki already is.

I'll tell you in a few million years.

[karyo]

Reports speak of a violent volcanic eruption of Mount Shiveluch on Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. Smoke and ash from the volcano have climbed to 10 kilometres, sparking no-fly warnings for the surrounding area. Snow around the crater is rapidly melting, creating mudslides. Shiveluch supports a caldera of 1.5 kilometres in diameter. Its current activity period started in 1980

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/...11016-32715-RUS

Very interesting! Unfortunately, there is not much monitoring in this volcano and no webcams either! :-(

Karyo

[Crepuscular Ray]

El Hierro

Police/engineers have installed a set of 4 hydrophones that will, hopefully, 1) help them to pinpoint where the eruption is and 2) give a few hours' warning of the eruptive phase beginning, if it does, as they reckon that the previous phase lasts 7-8 hours.

They're confident enough about this that they're letting those inhabitants of La Restinga who want to return to the village.

(source: El Mundo)

[The PIT]

Well the vent at El Heirro maybe getting closer to the surface although they are signs that the eruption is slowing.

shows an area of gas bubbling to the sea surface.

[john pike]

El Hierro earthquakes and eruption – Updates

http://www.canariesnews.com/2011/09/28/el-hierro-earthquakes-update/

[Coast]

The eruption off the southern coast of El Hierro in the Canary Islands looks to be subsiding and from the sound of it, the focus of the activity is slowly migrating into shallower water. However, so far all the activity has remained submarine, producing an impressive discoloration of the ocean as tephra and volcanic gases are released from the vents. Check out this image of the eruption seen on October 16:

In the image, you can clearly see the plume of the eruption spreading westward from the main vent area, which is just off the southern tip of the island. It looks like the main fissure might be 2-3 km in length and is close to on strike with the rift axis for the main El Hierro edifice. Ramon Ortiz, coordinator of a government scientific team, said that if/when the eruption reaches shallower water, we should expect to see the surface water start to steam, followed by explosions of steam and magma and finally the emergence of an island.

If you want to see how that might look, just look at images of the 2009 eruption of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai in Tonga to see how a submarine eruption in shallow water behaves, producing “rooster tails” tens to hundreds of meters tall. There is already dark pumice spotted floating on the surface of the ocean (see below) along the southern coast of the island as well (and these clasts generated a lot of discussion amongst the geotweeps).

Dark pumaceous clasts spotted floating on the ocean near the eruption at El Hierro, October 14, 2011. Image by IGN.

As for the residents of La Restiga and the southwestern coast of Hierro, the local government allowed them to return to their homes on Saturday, however on Monday, many residents are still wary of returning. It does seem like there is a lot of confusion amongst the residents of exactly what the nature of the eruption will be as many have voiced concerned about returning when the volcano is “about to explode”.

This activity is not likely to produce a large, destruction event like the1902 Pelee pyroclastic flow, but should be more like Surtsey or, when it reaches land, like the 1971 eruption at La Palma (although possibly larger in volume), which were tourist attractions rather than death. The activity will be monitored closely, including the installation of hydrophones in the harbor to listen for new explosions on the seafloor (note: some of this graphic is a little scientifically dubious, like the area labeled “magma”) if the eruption continues to propagate towards land. However, the eruption, even if it comes closer to land, is not a major hazard to people on the island beyond the potential for bombs/ash to be thrown on land or, if the eruption makes it to land, lava flows. The Spanish government has closed the port at La Restiga due to the volcanic debris and air traffic is restricted over the eruption and there is also concern about how the eruption might effect marine reserves around Hierro. If an new island does emerge from this eruption and has any permanence, there will be the question of exactly whose island it is and what to name it – but Nemesio Pérez of the Instituto Vulcanológico de Canarias seems to think that there isn’t enough magma to produce any new island off of El Hierro.

One thing that is remarkable about this eruption is how the towns on the south coast of El Hierro are nestled between all these volcanic vents. I saw an image of the discolored sea surface from the eruption with a hamlet on the coast in the background. I see at least ten small scoria/cinder cones in the area around the town (see below), all evidence of the volcanic legacy (and recent legacy at that to preserve these cones) along the southern coast of El Hierro.

http://www.wired.com...orm-new-island/

Erik Klemetti is an assistant professor of Geosciences at Denison University.

[The PIT]

Looks like the present Eruption is drawing to a close as tremor continues to drop. Now this could be a pause and new fissures will open up in the coming weeks or the end proper.

[karyo]

Looks like the present Eruption is drawing to a close as tremor continues to drop. Now this could be a pause and new fissures will open up in the coming weeks or the end proper.

According to Jon Frimman it is just a pause and new fisures will open in the near future.

Karyo

[coldfingers]

According to Jon Frimman it is just a pause and new fisures will open in the near future.

Karyo

Yes I would agree with you karyo. There is a steady daily increase in earthquakes again, with only 10 showing 4 days ago but up to 35 so far today and another 4 hours for more quakes yet today.

38 now.

Oops, forgot the link!

http://www.01.ign.es/ign/resources/volcanologia/html/histogramaHierro.html

Edited October 22, 2011 by coldfingers

[karyo]

Yes I would agree with you karyo. There is a steady daily increase in earthquakes again, with only 10 showing 4 days ago but up to 35 so far today and another 4 hours for more quakes yet today.

38 now.

Oops, forgot the link!

http://www.01.ign.es...ramaHierro.html

Thanks coldfingers,

It will be interesting to see how this eruption progresses. Although, I don't think it will be anything major happening from this volcano.

Karyo

[coldfingers]

Thanks coldfingers,

It will be interesting to see how this eruption progresses. Although, I don't think it will be anything major happening from this volcano.

Karyo

Wow! Massive rise in quakes at El Hierro today. A total of 40 yesterday but today, already 38 quakes with the last one at 7:02 am local time. One of these quakes was a size 3 and the majority are deep which I have read means that magma is moving deep down. Can't seem to access the seismic charts today so far though. Looks like this could be another phase begining.

http://www.ign.es/ign/layoutIn/volcaListadoTerremotos.do?zona=2&cantidad_dias=10

[The PIT]

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

Earthquakes still deep and slowly shifting location. Speculation about whether we're entering another pre-eurptive stage.

[coldfingers]

And yet more fireworks from Etna!

http://www.radiostud...ebcam.asp?web=1

and fantastic webcam view here too.

http://www.etnaweb.n...iata/webcam.php

also chart of tremor rise.

http://www.ct.ingv.it/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=201

Edited October 23, 2011 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

This eruption of Etna seems to be lasting longer than the last paroxysm, I am wondering how much the tectonic instability in the south of Europe is affecting it. There are certainly some fine views from the various webcams around Etna tonight.

Edited October 23, 2011 by coldfingers

[yamkin]

Etna Volcano Eruption Forces Airport Closure

Lava and ash spewing out of a crater of the giant Etna volcano in southern Italy forced the closure of nearby Catania airport, ANSA news agency said late Sunday, AFP reported. With a high risk of volcanic ash being blown onto the runways, the airport was closed for safety reasons and flights redirected to nearby Palermo. It is the volcano's 17th eruptive activity since the start of the year.

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n262535

[weatherobsuk]

The plume evident on the sat24 IR loop. As the paroxsym didn't last long I would expect the plume to be short lived. Heights look like it could be carried across Greece/Cyprus in the coming day or two.

http://www.sat24.com/en/it

Toulouse VAAC now picking it up.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/vaactoulouse.html

Edited October 23, 2011 by SNOW_JOKE

[karyo]

The plume evident on the sat24 IR loop. As the paroxsym didn't last long I would expect the plume to be short lived. Heights look like it could be carried across Greece/Cyprus in the coming day or two.

http://www.sat24.com/en/it

Toulouse VAAC now picking it up.

http://www.metoffice...actoulouse.html

I was just about to post this!

I am surprised about the plume but I don't expect it to cause much disruption unless the eruption picks up again.

Karyo

[coldfingers]

I was just about to post this!

I am surprised about the plume but I don't expect it to cause much disruption unless the eruption picks up again.

Karyo

This webcam showing a lot of smoke, or is it ash?

Duh! No link again!

http://www.etnaweb.n...iata/webcam.php

Could have waited for 5th November. looks like the ramains of a rather large bonfire.

Edited October 23, 2011 by coldfingers

[weatherobsuk]

Toulouse VAAC puts the ash-plume at 7000ft so I suspect what were seeing blanketing the mid-base of the Volcano is this. webcams at the summit are back in crystal-clear skies, now the Paroxysm has died off once more for tonight.

[karyo]

This webcam showing a lot of smoke, or is it ash?

Duh! No link again!

http://www.etnaweb.n...iata/webcam.php

Could have waited for 5th November. looks like the ramains of a rather large bonfire.

The satellite shows clear skies over Sicily so it should be smoke from Etna.

[yamkin]

Turkey Fears Volcano Eruption

Turkish seismologists fear that the earthquakes that hit the province of Van on 23rd October 2011 can cause eruption of Nemrut volcano located northwards of Lake Van.........http://www.panarmeni...olcano_eruption

Edited October 24, 2011 by yamkin