The Klyuchevskoy on Kamchatka started yesterday afternoon with a new series of eruptions, during which volcanic ash was extracted up to an altitude of 8800 m. The ash drifted eastward and at this altitude posed a danger to potentially flying aircraft. MIROVA registered thermal radiation with a power of 604 MW tonight. This value suggests that there was a paroxysmal episode, because this morning the fire mountain shows its calm side. It can be observed via LiveCam.
Eruptions
News about eruptions and volcanoes can be found in this category. It is updated frequently. Volcano expert and journalist Marc Szeglat reports live from his expeditions to volcanoes.
Villarrica: 2 more eruptions
At the Chilean volcano Villarrica 2 more eruptions occurred yesterday. SERNAGEOMIN registered 2 seismic events with long periods of time which indicated the explosive activity. The volcanologists describe the events as moderate. Ash clouds were generated, which rose about 400 m above the crater height. The VAAC Buenos Aires issued 2 VONA messages, but without issuing a warning level for air traffic. The eruption clouds could not be detected by the satellites, which speaks for very weak eruptions. Nevertheless an interesting development, because the behaviour of the volcano seems to change.
Shiveluch: New photos of the Lavadome
Yesterday new photos of the lava dome called Dolphin were published. They show the structure from the side and reveal that the dome is neither egg-shaped nor has anything in common with a dolphin. It is a spine, like the one known from Mount St. Helens. The last time such a structure grew there was in 2006 and the further development of the Shiveluch remains exciting. At the moment the Shiveluch on Kamchatka emits only a small amount of heat radiation.
Etna erupts further ash clouds
Etna in Sicily is still active and erupts ash clouds and small lava fountains. In our FB group many media were shared about the volcano. Phases alternate in which either intensive ash is transported or small lava fountains are generated. The tremor fluctuates in the yellow area. The earthquake activity has normalized to a certain extent and is back to an average level. MIROVA occasionally registers weak thermal anomalies. However, on a sentinel glider from October 1, a strong hotspot in the New South East Crater is seen glowing. The activity is relatively stable and is expected to continue for a while.
Shiveluch: Egg-shaped dome grows
A photo of an unusual lava dome was taken at the Shiveluch in Kamchatka (Russia). The dome looks like a grey egg and has a very smooth surface. KVERT researchers suspect that it is a dome of dacitic lava. The structure already has a name: Dolphin. Locally one associates less an egg than a dolphin back. The first signs of the formation of a new dome were already seen in May, but the dolphin experienced its greatest growth in the last 4 months. Since then it has also been unusually quiet on the Shiveluch and only occasionally a slight thermal radiation was registered. Should the egg-shaped dolphin collapse, a very strong eruption will occur along with large pyroclastic flows. Then you should not stay near the volcano!
Piton Fournaise: Further earthquakes
At the Piton de la Fournasie, further earthquake activity was registered, although the actual seismic crisis was declared over yesterday. Seismologists report 8 volcano-tectonic earthquakes near the surface and 35 volcano-tectonic earthquakes at greater depths below the eastern flank. Furthermore, 1 long-periodic earthquake, 14 earthquakes classified as “undetermined” and 52 superficial landslides or collapse events occurred in the area of the eastern flank. 144 events of smaller magnitude were detected automatically. Inflation is also continuing, although at a much lower level than in the days of the crisis. At one measuring station a total ground elevation of 23 cm was registered. The horizontal offset was 76 cm. The scientists still consider an eruption possible, even though the probability of this has decreased.
Etna erupts strombolian
Yesterday Etna erupted strombolian and produced very aesthetic lava fountains. The ejection height of incandescent tephra was not very high, but a lot of incandescent material was erupted, so that the fountains were very voluminous. Some Etna photographers were in the summit area and documented the event in respectable photos.
In addition, a sentinel satellite photo shows a correspondingly strong thermal anomaly in the active saddle vent of the New South East Crater, which was the site of the eruptions. MIROVA recorded a high thermal radiation of 121 MW. A smaller hotspot is visible in the Northeast Crater. The tremor fluctuated at a high level. The day before, 14 weak tremors were recorded by the seismometers of the INGV. Many quakes were located near Refugio Citelli.
As always, it is difficult to make a forecast about the further behavior of the volcano. The data indicate that the current status has stabilized and we will continue to see mild summit activity. Furthermore, more magma seems to accumulate underground than is erupted.Etna continues to draw strength.
Grimsvötn: Yellow alert declared
The Icelandic glacier volcano Grimsvötn is preparing for an eruption and IMO has declared the VONA warning level “yellow”. A strong eruption could occur at any time, which could pose a danger to air traffic. In fact, there are still very few aircraft movements, as most of the airplanes remain on the ground due to the pandemic, but caution is the mother of the porcelain box, as is well known.
Various parameters changed in the last months at Grimsvötn. IMO gives the following reasons for the increase of the warning level:
- The seismicity during the past month has been above average
- Geothermal activity has increased over the past months with clear signs of deepening cauldrons in several places around the caldera
- The surface deformation has exceeded the level it was at prior to the 2011 eruption
- Magmatic gases were measured in the geothermal emissions this summer.
- The water level in subglacial caverns is as high as before the 2004 glacier flood.
All in all, this is not a surprising development, but a continuation of the trends that were already reported in summer. The exact time frame when the eruption will occur cannot be estimated. It could happen in the next few days, but it could also take several weeks or months.
For many volcano spotter the question is of course how to get to Iceland? In general, trips to Iceland are possible, but people entering the country will have to stay in quarantine for 5-6 days if they get tested twice. The first test is done upon entry, the second test after 5 days. If you do not want to be tested, you have to be in quarantine for 14 days. During the quarantine you must stay in your hotel room. This practically nips any attempt to catch the outbreak in the bud, unless you leave now and wait for the outbreak. If you do not leave until the eruption begins, you will probably be too late at the volcano.
Etna: more earthquakes
Etna in Sicily remains exciting, because further earthquakes occurred. A quake M 2.0 can be attributed to the swarm quake in the northeast. Yesterday the INGV registered a total of 27 earthquakes on Etna. This was the highest number for months, if not since the eruption of 24.12.2018. Many of the earthquakes also occurred under the Valle del Bove, not far from the Northeast Crater.
In the northwest there was an earthquake today with a magnitude of 3.2, the epicenter was located 1 km from Bronte. The depth of the hypocenter is indicated as 10 km. Even if the quakes are of tectonic origin, they could still be caused by a changed stress environment due to magma rise. I assume that some magma is accumulating under the volcano.
Piton Fournaise: No eruption yet
At the Piton de la Fournaise, there has not been a volcanic eruption so far, although the seismic crisis lasted for hours and may still continue. The last report of the volcanologists of the OVPF is from yesterday evening 21.30 local time. There it says that the seismic crisis continues. Since noon more than 2000 earth tremors have been registered. The inflation under the summit crater was 360 microrad and migrated eastwards. The director of the observatory, Aline Peltier, expressed her concern. Such long lasting seismic crises are unusual and she did not exclude that an eruption fissure could open relatively far down the eastern flank of the volcano. However, there is also the possibility that the magma might get stuck in the underground and not erupt at first. So it remains exciting at Piton de la Fournaise on La Réunion.