Volcanoes

Intensified eruptions reported at Alaska's Pavlof and Veniaminof volcanoes

The Extinction Protocol
Wed, 26 Jun 2013 11:53 UTC

Two Alaskan volcanoes that began minor eruptions weeks ago are showing their strongest seismic activity yet, emitting small amounts of lava and ash along with smoke plumes, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said Tuesday. The observatory warned of more vigorous activity with the Pavlof and Veniaminof volcanoes, both on the Alaskan Peninsula - though that will likely just mean more ash. Pavlof, a snow-covered, cone-shaped mountain, has been erupting since early May.

While its activity since then has waxed and waned, seismic activity increased since Tuesday morning and the volcano has started continuously shaking, said David Schneider, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Some lava is flowing, and the volcano is spewing a cloud of steam and ash that has risen as high as 28,000 feet, said Schneider, at the observatory in Anchorage. "It's a pretty good size, but not high enough to affect overflying aircraft between America and Asia," he said. "It's more of a problem for local aviation." Pavlof is near the town of Cold Bay, a regional transportation hub whose long World War II-era runway serves flights to area villages, Schneider said.

Alaska volcano erupts with new intensity, disrupts local flights

Yereth Rosen
Reuters via Yahoo News
Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:27 UTC

© NASA
The Pavlof Volcano in Alaska is pictured in this May 18, 2013 NASA handout photo taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Situated in the Aleutian Arc about 625 miles (1,000 km) southwest of Anchorage, Pavlof began erupting on May 13, 2013.

An Alaska volcano spewing ash and lava for the past six weeks erupted with new intensity early on Tuesday, belching a plume of cinders 5 miles into sky and onto a nearby town and disrupting local flights, officials said.

The eruptions from Pavlof Volcano, on the Alaska Peninsula 590 miles southwest of Anchorage, were its most powerful since its current eruptive phase began with low-level rumblings in mid-May, according to scientists at the federal-state Alaska Volcano Observatory.

The latest series of more powerful ash-producing blasts from the crater of the 8,261-foot (2,518-meter) volcano started late on Monday and continued overnight into Tuesday, scientists said.

"For some reason we can't explain, it picked up in intensity and vigor," said Tina Neal, an observatory geologist.

India to investigate possible threat from undersea volcano near Madras nuclear plant

Arun Janardhanan
The Times of India
Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:18 UTC

© Unknown
Confirming the presence of an underwater volcano, AERB said the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has also recommended an advanced study to figure out the status of the volcano.

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has begun a detailed study to analyze the possible threats of an underwater volcano near the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) in Kalpakkam, about 70km south of Chennai.

Confirming the presence of an underwater volcano five weeks ago, an AERB reply to an RTI query said the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has also recommended an advanced study to figure out the status of the volcano, though initial investigations did not detect any significant geological signs.

Manam volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea

The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:07 UTC

An eruption with a small ash plume was reported this morning and VAAC Darwin issued an advisory. A low level ash plume was also visible on Nasa's Aqua Modis image at 15:45 UTC. This is the volcano's second eruption this year. The volcano unleashed an ash cloud in early January. - Volcano Discovery

Violent explosion shakes Mexico's Popcatepetl volcano

The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:07 UTC

Mexico's active Popocatepetl volcano has registered a massive explosion spewing ash and incandescent rock almost 4 kilometers high. Authorities have warned that winds could blow the ash cloud as far away as Mexico City. Inhabitants of villages up to 25 kilometers from Popocatepetl (colloquially known as 'Don Popo') rushed out of their houses when the massive explosion reverberated through their homes. Esther Matinez, resident of Amecameca municipality, told Mexican publication La Jornada that the blast was like a rocket explosion. Around 4.5 million people live within a 50-kilometer radius of the active volcano, 650,000 of whom are considered to be at high risk.

Massive section of ocean floor off the coast of Portugal beginning to fracture

The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:05 UTC

A new subduction zone forming off the coast of Portugal heralds the beginning of a cycle that will see the Atlantic Ocean close, as continental Europe moves closer to America. Published in Geology, new research led by Monash University geologists has detected the first evidence that a passive margin in the Atlantic Ocean is becoming active. Subduction zones, such as the one beginning near Iberia, are areas where one of the tectonic plates that cover Earth's surface dives beneath another plate into the mantle - the layer just below the crust. Lead author Dr João Duarte, from the School of Geosciences said the team mapped the ocean floor and found it was beginning to fracture, indicating tectonic activity around the apparently passive South West Iberia plate margin. "What we have detected is the very beginnings of an active margin - it's like an embryonic subduction zone," Dr Duarte said.

Sakurajima volcano awakes with a series of powerful explosions

T
Volcano Discovery
Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:08 UTC

After 10 days of almost no activity, the volcano has woken up violently with 3 powerful explosions last night (at 22:05 and 23:58 UTC, ash plumes to 10-13,000 ft) and this morning at 04:26. The eruption this morning appears to be one of the largest explosions for a long time, producing an ash plume rising to 16-20,000 ft (5-6 km) altitude. An SO2 plume is also visible on satellite data.

Tokyo VAAC issued a warning of an ash plume drifting SE at flight level 200 (20,000 ft altitude), s. graphic.

Indonesia's Ibu volcano lava dome overtops crater rim - poses risk of pyroclastic flows

The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:18 UTC

As the Indonesian Volcanological Survey (VSI) specified in its latest bulletin, parts of the active lava dome of the volcano have recently (early June) grown higher than the northern crater rim, where it is cut by a valley extending to the northern feet of the stratovolcano. Therefore, potential continued growth of the dome poses the risk of rockfalls and pyroclastic flows reach the northern flanks, where a number of villages are located, namely Pasilulu and Talen. In addition, VSI scientists have detected an increase of seismicity and degassing since early May. This includes volcanic tremor from growing lava dome and deeper earthquakes, possibly related to new magma rising, and the occurrence of notable sulfur smell.

Ibu's activity has been characterized by the slow building of a new lava dome inside the breached summit crater since 1999. While present growth rate is still slow, and no or little incandescence is observed at the moment, the new seismic activity could herald a phase of more vigorous activity in the near future. In that scenario, the occurrence of dangerous landslides and pyroclastic flows would be likely and the northern slopes of the volcano should be considered a high risk zone. - Volcano Discovery

Mount Veniaminof volcano erupts in Alaska

The Extinction Protcol
Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:10 UTC

A weak eruptive activity has started from the volcano. Since last night, weak ash emissions have appeared from the central cone of the caldera of the volcano. The new activity is accompanied by a persistent steam plume and increasing volcanic tremor. So far there seem to be no lava flows or other significant eruptive processes. The new ash emissions are very diluted and reach about 200-300 m height. They were first observed on the Aviation camera of Perryville from last night at around 17-18h local time. AVO who has not yet reported about the ash confirmed to Blog Culture Volcan that the plume indeed contains very small amounts of ash, which pose no problems to aviation (for now). The volcano last erupted in 2008. - Volcano Discovery