General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[john pike]

A steam plume has been visible at the White Island crater today.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/steam-plume-visible-white-island-crater-5007478

certainly active around new zealand at present

[john pike]

White Island volcano has erupted, prompting GNS Science to advise visitors to take extra care.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/7425606/Visitors-warned-off-erupting-volcano

[The PIT]

Not the only one to go pop in New Zealand http://www.stuff.co....round-Tongariro

Tongariro has erupted which shows you don't have to have months and months of sesmic activity.Sadly the webcam needs a clean http://www.geonet.org.nz/images/volcano/volcams/tongariro/tongariro.jpg

Edited August 6, 2012 by The PIT

[Chris W]

I just saw this a couple of hours ago, amazing! Leaves me feeling pretty weird and amused having set foot on there not so long ago, weird.

Here's a photo someone has posted on Facebook: http://www.facebook....153267631364988

I wonder if Ruapehu will join in and increase its own activity...

Edited August 6, 2012 by Chris W

[john pike]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/read/index.php?pageid=svolcano_index&svid=13'>http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/read/index.php?pageid=svolcano_index&svid=13

Reporoa Caldera info

probably dont want to see this erupt

Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/read/index.php?pageid=svolcano_index&svid=1

Whakamaru is a town in the central region of the North Island of New Zealand.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/read/index.php?pageid=svolcano_index&svid=3

these are all based in new zealand

lake taupo is huge and would be a big problem if that woke up

[john pike]

Not the only one to go pop in New Zealand http://www.stuff.co....round-Tongariro

Tongariro has erupted which shows you don't have to have months and months of sesmic activity.Sadly the webcam needs a clean http://www.geonet.or...o/tongariro.jpg

hi pit

to add to your post

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10825125&fb_source=message

plus

predicted ashfall from tongariro

http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/alert-bulletins/archives/2012/aug-7-2012-1-45-am-tongariro-volcano.html

things are certainly quite lively there

[john pike]

Underwater Volcano Found off West Iceland?

A mountain which the Icelandic Marine Research Institute (Hafró) discovered on the ocean floor west off the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland during an expedition earlier this summer may turn out to be a previously unknown volcano.

http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Underwater_Volcano_Found_off_West_Iceland__0_392336.news.aspx

does the saying the more we find out the less we know come to mind here?

[Coast]

A volcano in New Zealand has erupted for the first time in 115 years, spreading a layer of thick ash for several miles and prompting the evacuation of homes and the cancellation of some flights. Scientists said they noticed increased seismic activity below Mt Tongariro for weeks but there was no specific warning before the volcano erupted late on Monday night. The eruption of ash and rocks lasted about 30 minutes and did not cause any injuries or damage in the sparsely populated central North Island region, which is a designated national park.

The park is a popular tourist destination and formed the backdrop for many scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies. Some nearby residents left their homes as a precautionary measure and authorities shut roads. Air New Zealand cancelled or delayed domestic flights to towns near the mountain. No international flights were affected. Police said a witness described flashes and explosions followed by a cloud of ash coming from a hole in the north face of the mountain.

Steve Sherburn, a volcanologist at the government agency GNS Science, said the eruption spread a layer of ash several centimetres thick for several miles. There were reports of the ash being blown up to 60 miles away. New Zealand is part of the Pacific Ocean "Ring of Fire" and has frequent geothermal and seismic activity. The last verified eruption of Mt Tongariro occurred in 1897 when it had been active for a decade.

Sherburn said it was too early to determine whether the latest eruption was the start of a renewed cycle of activity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/07/new-zealand-volcano-erupts

http://youtu.be/P4y0FdG1qYo

[Coast]

http://youtu.be/f0nrUWYmRgI

[john pike]

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/view_news/11545/Volcanic-activity-world-wide-7-Aug-2012-Tongariro-Etna-Stromboli-Popocat%C3%A9petl-volcanoes-in-Guatemal.html

Volcanic activity world-wide 7 Aug 2012: Tongariro, Etna, Stromboli, Popocatépetl, volcanoes in Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador

[john pike]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/07/new-zealand-volcano-erupts-first-time-in-115-years_n_1750595.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk-ws-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk4%26pLid%3D121395

clip re new zealand volcano

plus watch 2nd clip re mount etna

[john pike]

update from geonet

http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/

white island and tongariro at alert level 2

ruapehu at level 1

[john pike]

http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Volcanoes/Sci-Media/Animations-and-Interactives/Volcano-map-of-New-Zealand

i found this interesting

[Coast]

A flyover of Mt Tongariro is showing some vents on the mountain are still steaming, but activity levels were low say GNS Science.

The Crown Research Institute said the observations did not change the volcano's prognosis for eruption though. "Current eruptive activity is low level but could re-commence at any time. The Aviation Colour Code is reduced to Yellow, which recognises that activity has decreased but renewed unrest is possible." It was hard to tell what was happening above the Upper Te Mari crater, because cloud cover was blocking views into the vents. GNS said previously steaming ground at Ketetahi and the Lower Te Mari crater appeared "more vigorous", but there were no obvious major changes.

Vulcanologist Michael Rosenberg said the flyover showed blocks of old lava and hydrothermally altered lava up to about one metre size were ejected by Monday night's eruption. The surrounding area shows the battle scars of Monday night's eruption with volcanic rock and ash clearly visible down to ground level. Residents around the base of Mt Tongariro remain in a "state of readiness" should the crater suddenly burst into life. But the small scale eruption has not deterred thrillseekers heading up to Ruapehu ski fields.

They included young Dannevirke couple Phillip and Amanda Naus who are on a week's holiday in the area with friend Marcel Henman from Wellington. "To be honest we are not sure what all the fuss is about," Phillip Naus said. "We can't see any issues around the ski fields and we have been staying in Kiritau around by Turangi and we never even heard the bloody thing on Monday night." "I honestly think its a big drama over nothing," he said.

The first the trio heard of the eruption was a text message from the other side of the world. "My father is in America and he text me to see if we were all ok - how weird is that," Amanda Naus said. "We haven't seen any ash, we haven't even smelt the sulphur - so how are they suddenly smelling it down in Wellington when we are right here," said Henman. Tourists like Hiro Yashima from Japan were also heading to the skifields, unfazed by the acitivity reported on the neighbouring peak. "I heard that the mountain went boom, so I'm ready with my camera in case it goes boom again," he smiled.

HAS WHITE ISLAND ERUPTED AGAIN?

Meanwhile, scientists were scrambling to make sense of a number of signs which may indicate White Island has also erupted. Almost 24 hours after Mt Tongariro blew a new hole in its side, GNS vulcanologists said a tremor "dropped sharply" overnight at the active volcano off the coast of Whakatane. Craig Miller said the tremor at about 11.30pm was followed by another short burst of activity about 3am. "The Crater Rim camera appears to be splattered with mud/ash this morning so it seems there has been some kind of burp. "The plume out of the crater lake from the Factory camera also appears darker and maybe more ash rich."

Miller said it appeared the nature of activity at White Island might be "changing somewhat". White Island is one of New Zealand's most active cones. Its volcanic alert level sits at two - meaning there has been "minor volcanic activity". An aviation warning is at code orange, warning pilots that the volcano is "exhibiting heightened unrest" with an increased likelihood of eruption. Sitting about 48km off the coast of Whakatane, White Island has been created by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years. About 70 per cent of the volcano sits underneath the sea, making it one of the biggest volcanoes in New Zealand.

SURPRISING SMELLS

Gas and sulphur smells from the Mt Tongariro eruption have travelled as far as Wellington this morning. The crater spewed rocks and ash when it came to life for the first time in more than 100 years at 11.50pm on Monday night. Many people have reported a smell of sulphur in the air in the capital. Miller said it was most likely the smells were caused by the eruption and there had been quite a few reports from the lower North Island of a sulphur smell. "It's a little bit surprising it has gone as far as it has. It will be dissipating as it goes."

Hutt Valley resident Heidi Parker said she thought the smell was just her damp front yard at first but she could smell it all the way to work in Newtown. She said her colleagues had noticed it too. Titahi Bay resident Robert Gibson said he and his colleagues at work had noticed the smell and were using air freshener to deal with it. "It was a sulphury sewage-like smell. I thought my drains were blocked at first."

MetService forecaster Micky Malivuk said wind conditions were right for the smell to travel south. Northerly winds of between 20kmh and 50kmh had been prevailing since yesterday afternoon. The smell of sulphur was also strong around Wairarapa but only faint in Hawke's Bay. Horizons Regional Council said it had received reports of sulphur smells from throughout its territory overnight. "While it is surprising that the sulphur has been smelt so strongly in the lower parts of our region, we don't consider it to be a cause for concern," emergency manager Shane Bayley said. Council air quality monitoring sites in Taumarunui and Taihape were not showing any elevated presence of fine air particles. The public would be alerted if that changed.

WHAT TYPE OF ERUPTION

Rising magma sparking earthquake swarms and superheating Tongariro's geothermal systems in recent weeks is the most likely cause of Monday's steam-driven eruption. GNS Science vulcanologist Nico Fournier said volcanic gas and periodic swarms of about 100 earthquakes had been recorded since scientists first noticed tremors on July 13. Tongariro had experienced only one or two shakes a year in the past decade. The earthquakes were centred two to seven kilometres beneath the mountain and had probably been triggered by magma "looking to find a way out".

Canterbury University hazard and disaster management lecturer Thomas Wilson said the volcano's hydrothermal system had probably exploded in a sequence known as a phreatic eruption. "It's existing rock and material underneath the volcano that are fragmented and erupted. So in a purely steam-driven eruption, there's usually no new magma." Two other types of eruption had yet to be ruled out - a phreatomagmatic eruption, where water and molten rock mixed, causing the magma to fragment in an explosive eruption; and a purely magmatic eruption, involving no water.

Wilson said the rumbling could either stop completely, continue with same-size eruptions, or it could be the start of a "bigger eruptive sequence, which would probably mean larger eruptions, with more ash produced, probably leading to more widespread deposition of ash, to a thicker amount". The most likely cause for the eruption was rising molten rock 1km to 5km beneath ground level heating and destabilising the hydrothermal system. Hydrothermal eruptions tended to recur and could escalate into larger, energetic molten eruptions which spewed out lava and rocks. Lack of rain, the small size of the eruption and mild ash fall meant there was no lahar.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7433583/Earth-shakes-beneath-Mt-Tongariro

[john pike]

A small eruption has been recorded on White Island. A large plume of smoke and gas is continuing to escape from the top of the coastal volcano. GNS Science volcanologists used web cameras on the island to capture a small eruption in the early hours of Sunday morning. GNS Science duty volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said White Island was an active volcano and small eruptions happened from time to time. "These phenomena are not unknown for White Island, but this is the first substantial confirmation that small scale eruptions are now occurring on the island and confirms the risk to visitors has increased," he said. The Volcanic Alert Level raised from Level 1 to Level 2 yesterday afternoon and the Aviation Colour Code was changed to Orange. GNS Scientists have been monitoring the increasing volcanic activity for the past eight days. During this time, there has been an increase in volcanic tremors and volcanic gas levels. An indication the volcano was about to erupt came overnight on Friday, when the lake level in the Crater Lake rose from about 3m to 5m. Mr Rosenberg said a volcanic earthquake was recorded, which indicated an eruption may have occurred. A flow of gas and steam has been present in the lake and from vents near the lake since then.

A gas flight on August 1 recorded increased levels of sulphur gas in the steam and volcanic gas plume. "Since early July there have been intermittent periods of volcanic tremor, becoming more continuous since July 28," he said. "A stronger episode was recorded overnight on August 4 to 5 and ended in a volcanic earthquake at 4.54am." The photograph was taken by Bay of Plenty Times reader Jessica Brockett from Looking Glass Gardens in Te Puke on Sunday. It shows the plume of gas which has enlarged since the crater lake level rose rapidly on July 27 and 28. Mr Rosenberg said this had been "the first big change" at the volcano over the past two years. He said White Island is an active volcano and there was always risk when visiting the island. He said vessels travelling nearby should keep alert. "Eruptions can occur at any time with little or no warning. Extra caution should be taken if visiting the island." GNS Science volcanologists are continuing to monitor the activity at the volcano.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VA-20120802-36026-NZL&uid=12836

http://www.volcanolive.com/whiteisland.html

information re the volcano

[john pike]

Volcano Activity in Colombia on Thursday, 09 August, 2012 at 07:46 (07:46 AM) UTC.

The recent increase in seismic activity under Sotarà volcano promted INGEOMINAS to raise the alert level from yellow (unrest) to orange (eruption warning) yesterday afternoon. The increase had been detected on June 24, 2012 and since that date, 6891 earthquakes have been recorded, i.e. an average of 150 quakes per day. Most of them (5177) are of very small magnitude, but the remaining 1714 quakes were of significant energy (local magnitudes 0.1-2.2) and concentrated in an area between 0.1 and 5 km northeast of the volcanic summit at depths between 2 and 6 km. None of these events were felt by inhabitants of the communities surrounding the volcano Sotará. The deformation network shows a possible inflation process towards the northeast sector of the volcano, which correlates with the epicentral zone of seismicity reported and suggest that magma is rising there, and might (or might not) lead to an eruption in a near to medium future. During the month of July geochemical surveys showed no significant changes in temperatures of hot springs in the area. INGEOMINAS stresses that this activity does not pose any immediate danger to the communities aroud the volcano. However, it should be said as well that this could change quickly.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20120809-36109-COL

otará volcano (Colombia): increase in seismic activity triggers raise in alert level

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/sotara/news/11796/Sotar%C3%A1-volcano-Colombia-activity-update-incremiento-of-seismicity.html

[john pike]

white island cam looks interesting

http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/activity/white-island/

[john pike]

a couple of interesting storys to read

Wellington, Aug. 10 (Xinhua-ANI): A floating mass of the volcanic rock, pumice, reportedly covering 25,000 square km, has been found floating in the South Pacific, indicating a third volcano is active near New Zealand.

The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) said Friday the floating pumice, measuring 250 nautical miles long and 30 nautical miles wide, was first spotted by a New Zealand air force Orion on a maritime patrol from Samoa to New Zealand.

The Orion relayed the information to New Zealand navy vessel HMNZS Canterbury, which spotted the pumice late Thursday about 85 nautical miles west southwest of Raoul Island, one of the Kermadec Islands that lie 750 to 1,000 km northeast of New Zealand.

Lieutenant Tim Oscar, a Royal Australian Navy officer on exchange with the Royal New Zealand Navy, described the pumice as "the weirdest thing I've seen in 18 years at sea."

full info

http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/08/10/128-Massive-pumice-indicates-3rd-active-volcano-around-New-Zealand-.html

plus

Askja volcano in Iceland shows increased signs of unrest including higher than background levels of tremor

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/askja/news/12075/Askja-volcano-Central-Iceland-activity-update-increased-tremor.html

[john pike]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VA-20120802-36026-NZL&uid=12860

The volcanic rumblings on White Island has seen the safety risk for visitors raised to the highest level since the 2001 eruptions on the island. GNS Science duty volcanologist Brad Scott, who visited the island yesterday, said the volcano was in eruption mode for the first since February 2001. Mr Scott told the Bay of Plenty Times a new vent had been established towards the south-west corner of the 1978/80 crater complex, which was erupting a black ash-charged plume. "The ash is only rising 200-300m above the new active vent, and very fine dark grainy ash deposits on the walls of the main crater to the west of the vent, meaning it is only a weak eruption, at this stage. But the situation could change at any time," he said. Mr Scott said most of the ash from the previous two days has been washed away by the rain but the active vent had started to build a cone and there were impact craters around it created by the ejections from the explosions. While there were no sign of impacts craters or blocks beyond the main crater area, visitors were now faced with the highest level of risk since the end of the 2001 eruptions, he said. Mr Scott said additional hazards to visitors to the island included the health effects of volcanic ash and acid gas exposure, including respiratory issues, skin and eye sensitivity. More explosive eruptions could occur at any time with little or no warning, he said. "We continue to monitor the volcano and advise a high level of caution should be taken, if visiting the island," he said. During the past fortnight there had been an increase in volcanic tremors, volcanic gas levels and the crater lake water level on White Island rose 3m to 5m. The alert level has been raised from one to two on a scale of zero-five where as White Island in the past had consistently sat at alert level one. Mr Scott said the last time White Island erupted, it continued to be active for 25 years, from 1975 to 2001, and no one knew whether it was the start of another 25 years of activity. But Mr Scott said the recent volcanic activity on White Island, and the Mt Tongariro eruption on Monday night were unrelated. "Every volcano is an individual in terms of its volcanic system and it's coincidental that they are both active at the same time," he said. Mr Scott said both volcanoes may share the same plate boundaries, but each volcano was independent of the other.

[Crepuscular Ray]

The New Zealand Air Force has spotted a massive pumice raft off the coast of the country.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10826068

[john pike]

An earthquake of the magnitude 2.7 hit just north of Goðabunga in Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers the volcano Katla in South Iceland, around 8:30 am yesterday morning. It was part of a swarm of minor earthquakes. The second-largest had a magnitude of 1.8. The Katla area has been rather quiet in the past weeks. There was more activity in the area in the spring when two small glacier outbursts flooded the river Leirá in Kötlukriki and Emstrur, to the west of Mýrdalsjökull, ruv.is reports. The seismic activity then subsided and GPS monitors showed decreasing tension in the lithosphere. Yesterday’s quakes were not connected with any volcanic activity and there has not been any increased flow in glacial rivers originating in Mýrdalsjökull. However, glacial water in the vicinity has smelled of sulfur, according to geophysicist Benedikt Ófeigsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, such as in the river Jökulsá at Sólheimasandur and Leirá in Kötlukriki. Katla has been monitored closely by scientists since a major glacial outburst, possibly caused by a minor volcanic eruption underneath Mýrdalsjökull, tore a hole in the Ring Road in South Iceland in July 2011.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20120813-36161-ISL

[john pike]

Aug 16 2012, 7:00 am - White Island Volcano

Volcanic Alert Bulletin WI-2012/13 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Volcanic and seismic activity at White Island has remained low overnight.

A minor steam plume is visible via a camera on the island. No ash is apparent.

Visitors to White Island are now at the highest level of risk since the end of the 2001 eruptions. Additional hazards to visitors to the island now include the health effects of volcanic ash and acid gas exposure, including respiratory issues, skin and eye sensitivity to acid gases. Explosive eruptions can occur at any time with little or no warning. We advise a high level of caution should be taken, if visiting the island.

Attached to this bulletin is an ashfall prediction should significant ash start again.

We continue to monitor the volcano and will issue further updates as more information becomes available.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2

Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

Steven Sherburn

Duty Volcanologist

http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/alert-bulletins/archives/2012/aug-16-2012-7-00-am-white-island-volcano.html

Aug 16 2012, 7:10 am - Tongariro Volcano

Volcanic Alert Bulletin TON-2012/21 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Seismic activity at Tongariro remained low overnight. Poor weather continues to prevent any views of the mountain, but volcanic activity is thought to also have been low.

Yesterday several reports describing gas smells were received, particularly from the Manawatu region. This is attributed to passive degassing of magma beneath the surface of Tongariro following last weeks eruption. This is a common observation at volcanoes.

The weather today is likely to prevent any fieldwork at Tongariro. Once the weather improves additional gas sampling flights and surface gas sampling will be attempted. Data will also be collected from portable seismographs on Tongariro.

An ashfall prediction plot is attached to this bulletin should a future eruption occur.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at level 2

Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

http://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/alert-bulletins/archives/2012/aug-16-2012-7-10-am-tongariro-volcano.html

[john pike]

A volcano erupted on one of Russia's far eastern Kuril Islands, releasing a cloud of noxious fumes and raising temperatures in the surrounding area. Emergency officials said in a statement on their website that the volcano, called Ivan the Terrible and located on the sparsely populated island of Iturup to the south of the Kuril archipelago, erupted Wednesday due to increased water flows rushing into the volcano after heavy downpours. Officials stressed that the volcano had released no lava and that it erupts regularly, adding that the last major eruption was in 1989. According to the statement, Iturup residents were exposed to a slight smell of hydrogen peroxide and noticed ash falling as a result of the eruption. By Thursday, the hydrogen peroxide fumes and ash were no longer noticeable. Emergency officials advised citizens to steer clear of Ivan the Terrible and said they were monitoring the volcano's activity.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VE-20120816-36211-RUS

[john pike]

A sharp increase in activity has been observed at Popocatépetl since yesterday. During 17-18 August, 176 mostly small explosions were observed (compared to values of 10-20 for the previous week), and 74 alone during the following 9 hours, i.e. about 1 every 8 minutes. The largest eruption occurred at 20:41 h local time yesterday and threw incandescent bombs to 800 m distance, which landed on the rim of the lower crater. Glow from the summit was visible during clear weather at night. After 19:00 h local time yesterday, a constant steam plume with small amounts of ash was being erupted and formed a plume rising about 2 km above the crater. No reports of ash fall have been given in the latest CENAPRED summary.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=VA-20120819-36236-MEX

[john pike]

Areas in Ecuador's Quito region have been evacuated as the Tungurahua volcano continues to erupt. Authotiries have been forced onto making plans to evacuate residents of Ecuador's Banos region as the Tungurahua volcano continues to erupt. Local cities and farms have been covered in volanic ash as the massive eruptions shoe no signs of abating.

update

The eruption continues with constant steam and ash emissions generating a plume 1.5 km above the crater, intermittent cannon-shot-like explosions of moderate strength, which eject blocks of considerable size, and pyroclastic flows reaching 1.5 km distance. During 19 Aug, 4 pyroclastic flows were counted that went towards the areas of Cusúa and La Pirámide. Strong ash fall were recorded in Pillate, San Juan, Santuario, Sabañag, Cahuají, Manzano, Choglontús, Bilbao, the upper area of Quero and the zone of Igualata. The eruptive activity is accompanied by a seismic signal that shows a constant high-energy tremor, and moderate to strong rumbling noises, audible as far as in the towns of Ambato and Riobamba. Due to cloud cover, it was not possible to see whether the lava flow from the evening before (18 Aug) was still active.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/site/?pageid=event_update_read&edis_id=VE-20120820-36259-ECU&uid=12910