
© NASA Earth Observatory/Image by Jesse Allen and Robert SimmonOn Nov. 5, a NASA satellite spotted ash above Kamchatka's Zhupanovksy volcano.
A remote Russian volcano may be readying for a new eruption, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. On Nov. 5, NASA's Earth-Observing 1 satellite spotted ash above the 9,702-foot-tall (2,958 meters) Zhupanovksy volcano,
which recently woke from a decades-long slumber. The snowy peaks also shows signs of phreatic explosions - the stupendous blasts that result from hot lava meeting snow, ice or water, the
Earth Observatory reported.
Zhupanovksy's latest activity started on Oct. 23, when the volcano spewed ash 16,400 feet (5 kilometers) into the sky. It was the first explosive eruption at the volcano since 1959, according to KVERT, the Kamchatka Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, which monitors volcanic and earthquake hazards in the Russian peninsula. The initial blast of ash and volcanic gases was followed by several days of
phreatic bursts and strong gas emissions from fumaroles (gas vents) at the peak, KVERT reported.
Comment: The pace of volcanic activity is ramping up around the world. Just a small sample of recent activity:
Reclus Volcano in Chile Appears to be Reawakening as Earthquakes Felt in Nearby Towns
Strong activity continues at Indonesia's Mount Lokon volcano
Alaska's Mt. Pavlof volcano is 'very, very hot'
Iceland's Hekla volcano: strong inflation suggests volcano could be close to erupting