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.

Piton de la Fournaise: Lava flow approaches coastal road

by

The eruption at Piton de la Fournaise continues into the third day and the lava flows continue. Volcanologists of the OVPF were able to make observation flights by helicopter and get a clear picture of the situation: On Sunday 2 eruption fissures opened. They are located on the outside of the east flank, below the edge to Grandes Pentes, at 1700 and 1500 m altitude. The fissures are 1400 m apart. At the time of the flight only the lower fissures were active. Several cinder cones had already formed on the fissure. The lava flowed in multiple arms from the cones and joined to 2 wider streams. They were still about 2 km away from the coastal road RN 2. Their flow velocity decreased in the last hours, because they flowed through densely wooded areas and the vegetation slowed down the lava. Moreover, the slope in this region is less steep. Although the flow velocity decreased, it is quite possible that the lava will interrupt the road. The last time this happened was during the big eruption in 2007.

During the surveillance flight, the researchers also discovered a fumarolic active area in the lower flank area. Lava could have attempted a breakthrough here. If a fissure were to open there, the lava would reach the coast in an instant.

The tremor fluctuated or the eruption strength fluctuated and is now moving sideways at a stable level. Values for heat radiation are not available, because the satellites are blind due to the cloud cover.

Piton de la Fournaise: New eruption has begun

by

At Piton de la Fournaise the 4th volcanic eruption began this year. The eruption started on Sunday afternoon. Seismic data indicated that a fissure opened on the eastern flank. It is at a much lower altitude than the 3 previous ones. The volcanologists suspect the eruption centre at the edge of the caldera, where the steep slope of the Grand Brûlé begins. On the steep slope, lava flows reach high speed and have the potential to reach the ocean, provided enough lava is extracted. Thick clouds have so far prevented visual observation of the event, but I assume that the first images will soon reach us.

Piton de la Fournaise: Seismic crisis

by

On Sunday morning, a new seismic crisis hit Piton Fournaise on La Réunion Island. The volcanologists raised the alarm and the warning status to “1”. They believe a new eruption is likely within hours. Should the volcano erupt again, this would be the 4th eruption this year. The last eruption was in July and lasted only a short time.

Ol Doinyo Lengai: Crater fills up

by

For a long time it was relatively quiet around the world’s coldest volcano: Ol Doinyo Lengai is located in the Tanzanian part of the East African Rift Valley and produces a type of lava that is half as hot as ordinary lava with temperatures around 500 degrees Celsius. In 2008, a series of paroxysms filled the old crater and grew a new cone. Since then, the world’s coldest lava has been bubbling deep down in the new pit crater. Recent images show that the deep hole is constantly filling up. The crater floor is still inaccessible without technical aids, but slowly it rises to such an extent that one can see properly again from the crater rim. The tip of a hornito almost towers above the edge of the pit and lies approximately at the level of the more gently inclined crater rim. The video shows a crack in the hornito spraying sodium carbonate. Satellite photos confirm a weak thermal anomaly in the crater. It will be several years before the crater floor can be walked on again, unless the flow rate increases significantly.



Slamet: Increase of warning level

by

The volcano Slamet is located on the Indonesian island Java and last erupted in 2014. Now the PVMGB has raised the warning level of the volcano to “2”. The reason for this is a significant increase in seismic activity: between 1 June and 8 August, 51511 weak earthquakes were recorded in connection with magma rise. Kasbani, the chief volcanologist of Indonesia, explained that a large amount of magma had accumulated and that the energy in the volcano was high. Magmatic eruptions are imminent and a 2 km exclusion zone has been established around the crater.

Öræfajökull degassed

by

Although the Icelandic volcano Öræfajökull has been quite quiet in the last few months, the danger of an eruption is apparently not yet averted. IMO scientists have reported that the volcano emits gas that accumulates in subglacial meltwater. The researchers are trying to take gas samples in order to analyse the gas more precisely. So far, it has not become known exactly which gas it is and whether it is regarded as a sign of an imminent eruption. Earthquake activity had recently declined sharply and the IMO gave the all-clear signal that an eruption was no longer expected. However, nobody knows how Öræfajökull will behave shortly before an eruption. Blogger Jon Friman points to a study which shows that some volcanoes have seismic activity decreasing shortly before erupting.

Popocatepetl erupts ash clouds

by

In Mexico, the Popocatepetl volcano continues to emit ash clouds. These clouds rise up to an altitude of 7000 m above sea level and drift in a northwesterly direction. CENAPRED reports 2 explosions, 157 exhalations and 640 minutes tremor. The intense tremor indicates that a lot of magma is moving underground. An increase in activity may be expected in the next few days.

Etna: Ash emissions from the NE crater

by

Etna in Sicily is increasing its activity again today. Ash is permanently emitted from the north-east crater. It is brown in colour and could consist of older lava fragmented either by collapse events in the vent or by explosions in the vent blowing out the old material. The New Southeast Crater degasses strongly and on the thermal cam you can see that the summit area is quite hot. The tremor rises slightly, but is still in the green area. It looks as if the volcano is preparing for a new eruption. However, it is not possible to predict when this will begin.

Kilauea: New crater lake growing

by

Scientists at Kilauea in Hawaii are currently observing a rare phenomenon: the birth of a crater lake. The 3 small water accumulations, which appeared last week, are growing and have now combined to a larger accumulation. At best, we can speak of an embryonic crater lake so far, but we can assume that it will continue to grow in size. The researchers are fascinated by the process on the one hand, but on the other they are worried about the development: if a large crater lake develops, the danger of phreatomagmatic explosions increases as soon as the magma penetrates again into the conveyor system below the crater. A suitable location for a new museum and visitor platform is still being sought, but if a crater lake is actually created and phreatomagmatic explosions could occur, the new museum will have to be built a bit further away from the enlarged crater.

Since the summer of 2018, the famous Jagger Museum on the edge of Caldera has been closed: As a result of the eruption, the Halema’uma’u crater collapsed and grew to the edge of the caldera. Cracks traversed surrounding streets and also the visitor platform at the museum. The exhibits of the exhibition were already brought to safety last year. At the moment only employees of the national park and volcanologists have access to the closed area.

Stromboli (Italy) Lava flow in progress

by

The Stromboli is still active. MIROVA registers thermal radiation with a power of 95 MW. Satellite images from August 6 show that the heat signature of the lava flow reaches relatively far down the flank and had made half the way to the sea. At this time the heat radiation was 323 MW. Intense heat radiation was also emitted from the explosive vents in the crater: the magma is high in the conveyor system. The strombolian explosions produce glowing tephra, which is deposited in the crater area. The tremor is still elevated. The eruptions can be observed via livecam.

Popocatepetl erupts ash clouds

In Mexico, the Popocatepetl volcano continues to emit ash clouds. These clouds rise up to an altitude of 7000 m above sea level and drift in a northwesterly direction. CENAPRED reports 2 explosions, 157 exhalations and 640 minutes tremor. The intense tremor indicates that a lot of magma is moving underground. An increase in activity may be expected in the next few days.

Öræfajökull degassed

Although the Icelandic volcano Öræfajökull has been quite quiet in the last few months, the danger of an eruption is apparently not yet averted. IMO scientists have reported that the volcano emits gas that accumulates in subglacial meltwater. The researchers are trying to take gas samples in order to analyse the gas more precisely. So far, it has not become known exactly which gas it is and whether it is regarded as a sign of an imminent eruption. Earthquake activity had recently declined sharply and the IMO gave the all-clear signal that an eruption was no longer expected. However, nobody knows how Öræfajökull will behave shortly before an eruption. Blogger Jon Friman points to a study which shows that some volcanoes have seismic activity decreasing shortly before erupting.

Slamet: Raising the warning level

The volcano Slamet is located on the Indonesian island Java and last erupted in 2014. Now the PVMGB has raised the warning level of the volcano to “2”. The reason for this is a significant increase in seismic activity: between 1 June and 8 August, 51511 weak earthquakes were recorded in connection with magma rise. Kasbani, the chief volcanologist of Indonesia, explained that a large amount of magma had accumulated and that the energy in the volcano was high. Magmatic eruptions are imminent and a 2 km exclusion zone has been established around the crater.