Saturday, November 30, 2013

[californiadisasters] Don't Forget Alan Simmons Videos For Christmas!

I find Alan Simmons videos addicting and have my own collection although I have fallen behind the past few years.

Here is more I wrote about this early last year and be sure to check out the samples:

http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/2012/01/alan-simmons-fire-videos-are-bomb.html

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[californiadisasters] Dry winter ahead, state’s experimental forecast warns

Dry winter ahead, state's experimental forecast warns

By Matt Weiser
mweiser@sacbee.com

Published: Friday, Nov. 29, 2013 - 1:20 pm

Last Modified: Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013 - 12:31 pm

Despite a hint of rain and snow in the forecast next week, the Sacramento region and California as a whole can expect a third dry winter ahead.

That's according to an "experimental" long-range forecast released this week by the California Department of Water Resources. The forecast covers the 2014 water year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014. It calls for "mostly dry conditions for most of California," with dry conditions being especially likely in the south state.

The forecast was done for the state by Klaus Wolter, a Ph.D. meteorologist and research associate at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Wolter made a similar dry prediction for the state last year, which at first appeared "destined for failure," he said. That was because December 2012 was extremely wet, partly due to the arrival of a series of atmospheric river storms. Such storms tap into tropical moisture in the far western Pacific Ocean and channel it into a narrow stream often aimed like a fire hose directly at California.

"However, the remainder of the season was record dry, producing an overall result of dry for the water year," Wolter said in a statement.

In a hint that suggests a similar outcome this year, the near-term forecast calls for a major change in the weather for Sacramento and Northern California on Monday. A storm is expected to drop out of the Pacific Northwest, bringing a chance of rain to the Valley through Wednesday and snow in the Sierra Nevada through Thursday.

But don't get too excited yet.

"It's a fairly dry system, so it doesn't look like a whole lot," said Craig Shoemaker, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento. "It doesn't have a really deep moisture plume."

Temperatures are also predicted to drop sharply with the storm. Overnight lows in Sacramento could get as cold as 34 degrees on Wednesday night.

Shoemaker said the storm could generate as much as 8 inches of new snow in the Sierra Nevada, where most ski resorts still have limited terrain open, if they are open at all. The snow level could drop as low as 2,000 feet on Tuesday night.

State officials intend the experimental forecast to help residents, business owners and policymakers prepare for winter.

The National Weather Service typically does not make a detailed long-range winter weather forecast. Its Climate Prediction Center, however, does offer a less specific three-month forecast. The most recent, issued Nov. 21, indicated neither wet nor dry conditions for California.

A third dry winter could have severe implications, since most of the state's water storage reservoirs are severely depleted after two drought years. California is heavily dependent on winter storms for the water supply it needs to survive summer. The state typically depends on just three months – December through February – for half its annual precipitation, although freak storms in other months can make a big difference,

As for the winter ahead, state officials caution the final outcome is difficult to predict, partly because neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions dominate in the Pacific Ocean this year. The former condition indicates the ocean is warmer than average, while the latter is cooler. A strong signal in either direction can make predictions easier.

This winter, forecasters say the ocean will be in a "neutral" condition, though Wolter said it could shift into an El Niño pattern by springtime.

Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/29/5956742/dry-winter-ahead-states-experimental.html#storylink=omni_popular

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[californiadisasters] December Will Make Or Break This Year's Title As Driest On Record

December will make or break this year's title as driest on record

By John Lindsey ~ Special to The SLO Tribune

November 30, 2013

California has seen record-breaking low rainfall amounts so far this year.

From January through November, only a meager 4.2 inches of rain has fallen in San Luis Obispo, the least amount of the wet stuff to date since record keeping began in 1870 at Cal Poly, home of climatology. Normally by Dec. 1, San Luis Obispo should have received 18.4 inches of precipitation.

The previous driest January-to-November on record was in 1898, when 6.3 inches of rain was recorded at Cal Poly. Then, just a little over 0.6 inches of rain was recorded the following month, December 1898.

The next driest January-to-November was 1984 with a recorded 7.9 inches. That December, another 3.6 inches of rain fell.

To prevent 2013 from becoming the driest calendar year on record, at least 2.7 inches of rain must fall this month.

Other areas along the Central Coast are even drier. Paso Robles has had only 1.8 inches of rain this year or about 17 percent of normal. Dry indeed! PG&E's Diablo Canyon Power Plant has recorded 2.6 inches of precipitation.

Farther south and north, Santa Barbara reported 4.6 inches since Jan. 1 or 31 percent of normal. Fresno has seen 2.9 inches of rain or about 30 percent of normal.

Since January 2011, almost every month has experienced below-normal precipitation. This extended period of dry weather is extending the fire season. Robert Lewin, Cal Fire chief for San Luis Obispo County, said, "Until we get a couple of inches of rain and a forecast for more, we are going to be forced to continue staffing all of our fire season engines, dozers, crews and aircraft. This is going to strain our budget."

Former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bill Coy, who grows avocados on his Cottontail Ranch near Cayucos told me, "We can stand most cold spells with our wind machines. However, everything is compounded by the dry, windy weather, and the lack of any moisture. Trees and crops that are well-hydrated usually fare pretty good, this year they are not. I've checked all of our weather records, and we've never seen anything like this."

So what does the heart of the rain season —December through March — hold in store for us? As I've written before, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is still predicting that the neutral conditions — the infamous El Nothing or El Nada — will continue through spring 2014. Neutral conditions generally don't produce any reliable seasonal rainfall predictions along the Central Coast.

The CPC is forecasting "Equal chances of equal, above and below normal precipitation." In other words, a forecast of normal rainfall.

Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Service and a former PG&E meteorologist, put together an interesting review of the CPC Winter Outlook rain prediction versus what actually transpired based upon the categories: Above Normal, Normal and Below Normal precipitation. Null discovered that over the last 18 years, the CPC had the correct category eight times.

The other ocean water temperature cycle that seems to be playing a larger role is called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, or PDO. The phases of the PDO are called warm or cool phases. There's a growing amount of evidence that the warm phase of the PDO produces above-normal levels of rainfall, while the cool phase produces below-normal levels. Unfortunately, we're still in the cool phase of the PDO, meaning we could continue to see below-average rainfall.

So far, this fall has been difficult to predict. It reminds me of the movie "Groundhog Day" where each day is repeated again and again. Hardly a week goes by that the numerical models have forecast significant rain for the Central Coast seven or 10 days in the future, only to reverse themselves a few days before the predicted storm was to reach us.

My updated prediction for this rain season: between 13 inches and 18 inches as measured at Cal Poly.

Source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/11/30/2811686/december-will-make-or-break-this.html

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[californiadisasters] 5.5 Quake Occurs off Northern California

5.5 quake occurs off Northern California

By Gary Robbins

San Diego Union-Tribune
9:46 p.m.Nov. 30, 2013

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake erupted beneath the seafloor at 7:19 p.m. Saturday, roughly 135 miles northwest of Eureka, in Northern California, says the US Geological Survey. The epicenter also was situated 111 miles west of Brookings, Oregon. The government did not issue a tsunami warning for the West Coast.

Such distant, deep sea quakes are not unusual off Northern California. In October, a 4.9 quake occurred about 33 miles northwest of Eureka, in a region that has produced many major quakes over the past century. A quake like the one that hit Saturday night could be followed by a larger event, though that rarely happens.

Source: http://web.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/30/quake-oregon-eureka/

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[Geology2] Could Big Pacific Earthquakes Trigger One Here?

Could big Pacific earthquakes trigger one here?

October 10th, 2009, 6:00 am

By Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune science writer-editor

The five big earthquakes that have occurred in the South Pacific over the past 10 days are causing some anxiety here, with readers asking whether the ruptures in that part of the "Ring of Fire" could set off a fault in Southern California.

The quakes include the 8.0 shaker near American Samoa on Sept. 29 that produced a tsunami that sent 6-inch wavelets gently rolling up the mouth of the Santa Ana River in Orange County, about 5,000 miles away.

We raised the issue with Susan Hough, chief of the Pasadena office of the U.S. Geological Survey and author of the upcoming book "Predicting the Unpredictable: The Tumultuous Science of Earthquake Prediction." (It'll be published on Dec. 21 by Princeton University Press.)

Seismologist Sue Hough. Image courtesy of USGS/Caltech

"Regarding long-range triggering, my own educated opinion is that the answer is yes (it could happen)," Hough said by email. "Waves from a big earthquake travel all the way around the globe: it's impressive to see what they look like on seismometers.

"It is possible, and there is growing evidence to back it up, that these waves can shake up distant faults, and sometimes cause earthquakes. But the probability that even a very large quake will trigger something big in any one distant place are very, very, very low. Just look at the monster 2004 Sumatra earthquake — there's evidence that the rate of global large earthquakes increased over the months/years following it, but it wasn't like the entire planet suddenly lit up with huge quakes. If a M9.2 doesn't trigger the Big One in California, that lessens the concern that anything serious will happen here after a much smaller M8."

And why can't scientists predict such earthquakes?

"I spend about 70,000 words answering that question," Hough says, referring to her upcoming book. "I guess the short answer is that we've never identified a reliable precursor that tells us that a big earthquake is imminent. But not for lack of trying!"

Source: http://sciencedude.blog.ocregister.com/2009/10/10/could-big-pacific-earthquakes-trigger-one-here/62249/

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[Geology2] Great Video: Mount Etna erupts at night

Great Video: Mount Etna erupts at night

Nov 29, 2013

(CNN) -- It was another night eruption of Mount Etna, with the spectacle of lava that has literally set fire to the snow-capped peak of the highest volcano in Europe.

Five days after the last eruptive phenomenon, the lava fountains returned to his feet, very high, since New Southeast Crater, accompanied by strong explosions filled.

Although clearly visible even from a distance, the eruption of Mount Etna has created hardships Fontanarossa airport and it seems that, at least this time, the volcano has spared from the rain of ash surrounding countries.

See video here:

http://www.thv11.com/news/article/289190/288/Great-Video-Mount-Etna-erupts-at-night

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[californiadisasters] Oroville Dam earthquake investigation may be needed

Jose Luis Villegas / jvillegas@sacbee.com

A recent federal inspection has concluded that Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the nation, needs a comprehensive earthquake safety assessment.

Oroville Dam earthquake investigation may be needed

By Matt Weiser

Published: Friday, Nov. 29, 2013

A recent federal inspection has concluded that Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the nation, needs a comprehensive earthquake safety assessment.

The dam on the Feather River is the primary storage facility for the State Water Project, the state-owned plumbing system that provides drinking water to more than 23million people across California. Failure of the dam could inundate not only the city of Oroville but numerous other communities downstream, including Yuba City, Marysville and even West Sacramento.

The inspection was conducted in 2010 by consultants working for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees hydroelectric dams in the United States. It is the most recent inspection of its kind, which are conducted every five years.

No significant flaws were found in the dam itself. Inspectors recommended the earthquake safety assessment based on newer information about earthquake hazards in the vicinity of the dam. A copy of the inspection was reviewed by The Bee following a Public Records Act request.

Officials at the California Department of Water Resources, which manages the dam, say they don't plan to conduct the recommended review because they don't think the expense is justified. But they may be compelled to do it by state or federal regulators who are still considering the recommendation.

Oroville Dam, at 742feet high, was completed in 1968 and is the tallest dam in the United States. It stores 3.5million acre-feet of water, or enough to serve 7 million average households for a year. In California, only Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River stores more water.

State water officials say the dam is sufficiently strong. "Even with today's understanding of seismicity and ground motions, Oroville still would meet the criteria that would be set today," said David Panec, chief of dam safety at the DWR's operations and maintenance division. "The dam is essentially overbuilt."

Independent experts concur. Like Panec, they point to a 5.7-magnitude quake that occurred near the dam in 1975 that caused no damage to the structure. Subsequent investigations showed that the dam performed well and was not weakened by the quake.

"We've seen these types of dams perform very well in earthquakes under very strong shaking," said Ross Boulanger, a civil engineering professor at UC Davis and an expert on earthquake risk involving earthen and rockfill dams, like Oroville. Boulanger said he has done consulting work for the DWR, but not involving Oroville Dam. "And we know their behavior can be relatively insensitive to modest changes in the seismic hazard."

Not everyone is confident. Ronald Stork, a senior policy advocate at Friends of the River, said the call for further study of Oroville Dam should not be taken lightly. In recent years, after modern studies, numerous other earthen dams in California have been shown to be vulnerable to earthquakes. For instance, Folsom Dam upstream of Sacramento is now undergoing millions of dollars in upgrades to withstand earthquakes. Similar work is planned at Lake Perris in Riverside County and San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, both also part of the State Water Project.

Stork noted Oroville is also considered a "classic case" for something known as reservoir-induced seismicity. In this phenomenon, the reservoir itself can cause earthquakes, because the enormous weight of water stored behind the dam is enough to shift the Earth's crust. Studies have documented the phenomenon at Oroville.

"A dam with a whole lot of shaking going on … does seem to be something you need to be really careful about," said Stork, who monitors dam regulation across the state. "You lose a 3.5million acre-foot reservoir – the tallest in the United States – and that could cause a whole mess of downstream trouble."

As one piece of the State Water Project, Oroville Dam is part of a complex bureaucratic and political system. Water management at Oroville affects habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and water rates for millions of Californians who depend on that water, from Napa to San Diego.

Any repairs or problems at Oroville Dam are paid for by the 29 urban and agricultural water contractors that buy water from the State Water Project, which include the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Kern County Water Agency, Santa Clara Valley Water District and others. These contractors, in turn, pass along their costs to ratepayers, including homeowners, business owners or farmers.

Those costs have been mounting at Oroville Dam after two expensive and high-profile accidents.

In 2009, five workers were injured when a steel bulkhead inside the dam blew out when two large river outlet valves were opened during a test. The valves have been inoperable ever since, and millions of dollars in repair costs are still looming. A subsequent investigation found that poor safety practices at the DWR contributed to the accident.

In 2012, a major fire occurred at the Thermalito Pumping-Generating Station, which is part of the hydroelectric system at the dam. The fire significantly reduced electric generating capacity at the dam and complete repair costs are still unknown. The DWR recently opened bids for a major cleanup project, the lowest of which was $11.9million. Additional work is needed to get the station operating again.

Negotiations are underway now between the DWR and its contractors to draft new terms for long-term water supply contracts. Among the key disagreements is how much the contractors will pay into a contingency fund so the department can respond more rapidly to emergencies.

The parties also are wrangling over other contract terms to finance two massive water diversion tunnels in the Delta. The $25billion project, supported by Gov. Jerry Brown, will be the most expensive water project ever undertaken in the state.

Leah Wills, a water consultant to Plumas County involved in the negotiations, said the contractors are reluctant to take on more expenses. Plumas County is a state water contractor, though often a contrarian in such negotiations because it is the only state contractor north of the Delta.

"There is no doubt in my mind this is all a big dance over how these new costs are going to be apportioned," Wills said. "The contractors are kind of legitimately panicked. Somewhere there's going to be this huge blank check that lands in their laps."

The 1975 earthquake at Oroville revealed for the first time an active fault directly south of Lake Oroville. Known as the Cleveland Hills Fault, it was traced at the time to within just 1.4miles of Bidwell Canyon Saddle Dam, an earthen dyke that encloses part of the reservoir. Studies after the 1975 quake found no significant damage to the saddle dam or the main dam.

Federal inspectors in 2010 recommended a new seismic evaluation to consider the potential of two other earthquake sources in the vicinity: the Foothill Fault System and the Prairie Creek Fault. They recommended a "finite element analysis," which involves extensive computer modeling to determine how the dam will perform in earthquake scenarios.

"That would not be uncommon for the consultant to recommend a very cautious and conservative approach," said Boulanger, of UC Davis. Such studies can take months and cost several hundred thousand dollars, he said.

The DWR could be required to conduct the study, either by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or by California's Division of Safety of Dams, a separate regulatory unit within the DWR.

Dave Gutierrez, chief of the state's dam safety division, said he expects his agency will decide in Januarywhether to order further earthquake studies. Asked generally about the dam, he said, "Oroville is not one that keeps me up at night from a seismic stability standpoint."

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/29/5955059/oroville-dam-earthquake-investigation.html
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[ Volcano ] Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 6-12 November 2013

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Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 6-12 November 2013
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Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

6-12 November 2013

Sally Kuhn Sennert - Weekly Report Editor

kuhns@si.edu

URL: http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/

New Activity/Unrest: | Colima, México border | Etna, Sicily (Italy) | Sinabung, Sumatra (Indonesia) | Tungurahua, Ecuador

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program. Updated by 2300 UTC every Wednesday, notices of volcanic activity posted on these pages are preliminary and subject to change as events are studied in more detail. This is not a comprehensive list of all of Earth's volcanoes erupting during the week, but rather a summary of activity at volcanoes that meet criteria discussed in detail in the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section. Carefully reviewed, detailed reports on various volcanoes are published monthly in the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network.

Note: Many news agencies do not archive the articles they post on the Internet, and therefore the links to some sources may not be active. To obtain information about the cited articles that are no longer available on the Internet contact the source.

New Activity/Unrest

COLIMA México 19.514°N, 103.62°W; summit elev. 3850 m

The Washington VAAC reported that between 2315 and 2345 on 9 November a bright thermal anomaly over Colima was detected in satellite images. A diffuse puff of gas and steam observed at 0115 on 10 November possibly contained ash.

Geologic Summary. The Colima volcanic complex is the most prominent volcanic center of the western Mexican Volcanic Belt. It consists of two southward-younging volcanoes, Nevado de Colima (the 4,320 m high point of the complex) on the N and the historically active Volcán de Colima on the S. Volcán de Colima (also known as Volcán Fuego) is a youthful stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera, breached to the S, that has been the source of large debris avalanches. Major slope failures have occurred repeatedly from both the Nevado and Colima cones, and have produced a thick apron of debris-avalanche deposits on three sides of the complex. Frequent historical eruptions date back to the 16th century. Occasional major explosive eruptions (most recently in 1913) have destroyed the summit and left a deep, steep-sided crater that was slowly refilled and then overtopped by lava dome growth.

Source: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html

ETNA Sicily (Italy) 37.734°N, 15.004°E; summit elev. 3330 m

INGV reported that ash emissions from Etna's New Southeast Crater (NSEC) occurred at 1251 and 1254 on 6 November and were quickly dispersed by the wind. During 6-7 November several phases of frequent explosions produced ash puffs visible during the daytime and ejected incandescent material from Strombolian activity was visible at night. On 8 November the explosions occurred at intervals of several hours, producing small ash plumes that rose a few hundred meters above the summit and drifted ENE.

A culminating phase of lava fountains, ash emissions, and lava flows began at 0500 on 11 November, after about 10 hours of gradually intensifying Strombolian activity. Weather conditions prevented visual observations, but a strong increase in the volcanic tremor amplitude was detected. The phase of maximum intensity lasted about 7.5 hours, ending around 1130; the cessation of lava fountaining was followed by a long series of powerful explosions that generated loud bangs heard mostly in the N sector of the volcano. Ash and lapilli fell in areas E and NE. A voluminous lava flow expanded S from the NSEC, and two smaller lava flows traveled ESE and NE. Vigorous Strombolian activity continued, with explosions at intervals of 1-2 minutes, which launched incandescent material as high as 150 m above the crater rim. At night during 11-12 November Strombolian activity ceased and the lava flows were no longer active.

Geologic Summary. Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second largest city, has one of the world's longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BC. Historical lava flows cover much of the surface of this massive basaltic stratovolcano, the highest and most voluminous in Italy. Two styles of eruptive activity typically occur at Etna. Persistent explosive eruptions, sometimes with minor lava emissions, take place from one or more of the three prominent summit craters, the Central Crater, NE Crater, and SE Crater. Flank eruptions, typically with higher effusion rates, occur less frequently and originate from fissures that open progressively downward from near the summit. A period of more intense intermittent explosive eruptions from Etna's summit craters began in 1995. The active volcano is monitored by the Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Volcanologia (INGV) in Catania.

Source: INGV Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo www.ct.ingv.it/

SINABUNG Sumatra (Indonesia) 3.17°N, 98.392°E; summit elev. 2460 m

Based on information from the Jakarta Meteorological Watch Office, webcam data, wind data, and satellite images, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 6 November an ash plume from Sinabung rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. The next day an ash plume rose to the same altitude but was not observed in satellite images due to meteorological cloud cover. According to webcam views an eruption on 8 November produced a low-level ash plume. The Jakarta Meteorological Watch Office, the webcam, and satellite data detecting sulfur dioxide indicated two explosions on 10 November. The first one, at 0720, generated an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. The altitude of the second plume, from an explosion at 1600, was unknown. An ash plume on 11 November rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted less than 20 km SW. The next day an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 40 km NW.

According to a news article posted on 12 November, more than 5,000 people from seven villages had evacuated their homes in recent days. The article noted that the government had called for an evacuation of people living within a 3-km radius of Sinabung, but people outside of that zone had also been evacuating.

Geologic Summary. Gunung Sinabung is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano with many lava flows on its flanks. The migration of summit vents along a N-S line gives the summit crater complex an elongated form. The youngest crater of this conical, 2460-m-high andesitic-to-dacitic volcano is at the southern end of the four overlapping summit craters. An unconfirmed eruption was noted in 1881, and solfataric activity was seen at the summit and upper flanks of Sinabung in 1912, although no confirmed historical eruptions were recorded prior to 2010.

Sources: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) ftp://ftp.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/vaac/,

Agence France-Presse http://my.news.yahoo.com/more-5-000-flee-erupting-indonesian-volcano-171816051.html

TUNGURAHUA Ecuador 1.467°S, 78.442°W; summit elev. 5023 m

IG reported that activity at Tungurahua remained at moderate levels during 6-12 November. Although cloud cover sometimes prevented visual observations of the crater, ash plumes were observed on most days. An ash plume rose 1 km and drifted W on 7 November. The next day ashfall was reported in Runtún (6 km NNE), Pondoa (8 km N), and Baños (8 km N). On 9 November an ash plume rose 3 km and drifted W, and blocks rolled down the flanks. Ash fell in Choglontus (SW), Bilbao (W), and Cusúa (8 km NW). On 10 and 12 November ash plumes rose 1 km and drifted SW, and 1.5 km and drifted W, respectively. Ashfall was reported in El Manzano (8 km SW) on 12 November.

Geologic Summary. The steep-sided Tungurahua stratovolcano towers more than 3 km above its northern base. It sits ~140 km S of Quito, Ecuador's capital city, and is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. Historical eruptions have all originated from the summit crater. They have been accompanied by strong explosions and sometimes by pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached populated areas at the volcano's base. The last major eruption took place from 1916 to 1918, although minor activity continued until 1925. The latest eruption began in October 1999 and prompted temporary evacuation of the town of Baños on the N side of the volcano.

Source: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG) http://www.igepn.edu.ec/

Ongoing Activity

BATU TARA Komba Island (Indonesia) 7.792°S, 123.579°E; summit elev. 748 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind data, the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) reported that on 6 November an ash plume from Batu Tara drifted almost 20 km W.

Geologic Summary. The small isolated island of Batu Tara in the Flores Sea about 50 km north of Lembata (formerly Lomblen) Island contains a scarp on the eastern side similar to the Sciara del Fuoco of Italy's Stromboli volcano. Vegetation covers the flanks of Batu Tara to within 50 m of the 748-m-high summit. Batu Tara lies north of the main volcanic arc and is noted for its potassic leucite-bearing basanitic and tephritic rocks. The first historical eruption from Batu Tara, during 1847-52, produced explosions and a lava flow.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) ftp://ftp.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/vaac/

CHIRINKOTAN Kuril Islands 48.980°N, 153.480°E; summit elev. 724 m

SVERT reported that during 4-6 November a thermal anomaly over Chirinkotan was observed. Steam-and-gas emissions during 5-6 November drifted 55-100 km SE. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow.

Geologic Summary. The small, mostly unvegetated 3-km-wide island of Chirinkotan occupies the far end of an E-W-trending volcanic chain that extends nearly 50 km west of the central part of the main Kuril Islands arc. Chirinkotan is the emergent summit of a volcano that rises 3000 m from the floor of the Kuril Basin. A small 1-km-wide caldera about 300-400 m deep is open to the SE. Lava flows from a cone within the breached crater reached the north shore of the island. Historical eruptions have been recorded at Chirinkotan since the 18th century. Fresh lava flows also descended the SE flank of Chirinkotan during an eruption in the 1880s that was observed by the English fur trader Captain Snow.

Source: Sakhalin Volcanic Eruption Response Team (SVERT) http://www.imgg.ru/?id_d=659

CHIRPOI Kuril Islands (Russia) 46.525°N, 150.875°E; summit elev. 742 m

SVERT reported that a thermal anomaly from Snow, a volcano of Chirpoi, was detected in satellite images during 4-6 November. Weak steam-and-gas emissions were detected on 4 and 6 November. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow.

Geologic Summary. Chirpoi, a small island lying between the larger islands of Simushir and Urup, contains a half dozen volcanic edifices constructed within an 8-9 km wide, partially submerged caldera. The southern rim of the caldera is exposed on nearby Brat Chirpoev Island. Two volcanoes on Chirpoi Island have been historically active. The symmetrical Cherny volcano, which forms the 691 m high point of the island, erupted twice during the 18th and 19th centuries. The youngest volcano, Snow, originated between 1770 and 1810. It is composed almost entirely of lava flows, many of which have reached the sea on the southern coast. No historical eruptions are known from 742-m-high Brat Chirpoev, but its youthful morphology suggests recent strombolian activity.

Source: Sakhalin Volcanic Eruption Response Team (SVERT) http://www.imgg.ru/en/home.html

COPAHUE Central Chile-Argentina border 37.85°S, 71.17°W; summit elev. 2997 m

OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that during 16-31 October the webcam installed 18 km SW of Copahue recorded steady fumarolic activity from Del Agrio Crater, which produced plumes that rose 1.8 km above the crater rim. On 28 October the plume changed color, suggesting ash content, and was accompanied by a small explosion recorded at 1252. The Alert Level remained at Yellow.

Geologic Summary. Volcán Copahue is an elongated composite cone constructed along the Chile-Argentina border within the 6.5 x 8.5 km wide Trapa-Trapa caldera that formed between 0.6 and 0.4 million years ago near the NW margin of the 20 x 15 km Pliocene Caviahue (Del Agrio) caldera. The eastern summit crater, part of a 2-km-long, ENE-WSW line of nine craters, contains a briny, acidic 300-m-wide crater lake (also referred to as El Agrio or Del Agrio) and displays intense fumarolic activity. Acidic hot springs occur below the eastern outlet of the crater lake, contributing to the acidity of the Río Agrio, and another geothermal zone is located within Caviahue caldera about 7 km NE of the summit. Infrequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded at Copahue since the 18th century. Twentieth-century eruptions from the crater lake have ejected pyroclastic rocks and chilled liquid sulfur fragments.

Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) http://www.sernageomin.cl/

KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1536 m

KVERT reported that moderate seismic activity at Karymsky was detected during 1-8 November. Satellite images detected a daily bright thermal anomaly on the volcano, possibly indicating weak Vulcanian and Strombolian activity. Ash plumes drifted 184 km SE and E during 2-3 and 5-6 November. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Geologic Summary. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed about 7,600-7,700 radiocarbon years ago. Construction of the Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2,000 years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2,300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been Vulcanian or Vulcanian-Strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater. Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions has originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, which is located immediately S of Karymsky volcano and erupted simultaneously with Karymsky in 1996.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php

KILAUEA Hawaii (USA) 19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m

During 6-12 November HVO reported that the circulating lava lake occasionally rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. The plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, spatter, and Pele's hair onto nearby areas. At Pu'u 'O'o Crater, glow emanated from spatter cones on the N and S portions of the crater floor. On 5 November a cone erupted a low fountain of lava which waned quickly; it was the first lava erupted in Pu'u 'O'o in several months.

The 6.4-km-long Kahauale'a 2 lava flow, fed by the NE spatter cone, was active with scattered break-out flows and burned the forest N of Pu'u 'O'o. On 7 November geologists confirmed that, after being active for more than two years and producing some memorable ocean entries, the Peace Day flow, to the SE of Pu'u 'O'o, was no longer active.

Geologic Summary. Kilauea, one of five coalescing volcanoes that comprise the island of Hawaii, is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Eruptions at Kilauea originate primarily from the summit caldera or along one of the lengthy E and SW rift zones that extend from the caldera to the sea. About 90% of the surface of Kilauea is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. A long-term eruption from the East rift zone that began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses and adding new coastline to the island.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/

SAKURA-JIMA Kyushu 31.585°N, 130.657°E; summit elev. 1117 m

The Tokyo VAAC reported that during 6-8 and 10-11 November, explosions from Sakura-jima generated plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.8-3 km (6,000-10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N, NE, E, and SE. On 8 November a pilot observed an ash plume drifting at an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l.

Geologic Summary. Sakura-jima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is a post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera at the northern half of Kagoshima Bay. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow was associated with the formation of the 17 x 23-km-wide Aira caldera about 22,000 years ago. The construction of Sakura-jima began about 13,000 years ago and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kita-dake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minami-dake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76.

Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) http://ds.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vaac/data/vaac_list.html

SHIVELUCH Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3283 m

KVERT reported that during 1-8 November several strong explosions from Shiveluch generated ash plumes that rose to an maximum altitude of 7 km (24,600 ft) a.s.l. Ash plumes drifted more than 290 km SE. Viscous lava continued to effuse onto the N and NE flanks of the lava dome, accompanied by hot avalanches, incandescence, ash explosions, and fumarolic activity. A thermal anomaly was detected daily in satellite images. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Geologic Summary. The high, isolated massif of Shiveluch volcano (also spelled Sheveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya volcano group and forms one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanoes. The currently active Molodoy Shiveluch lava-dome complex was constructed during the Holocene within a large breached caldera formed by collapse of the massive late-Pleistocene Strary Shiveluch volcano. At least 60 large eruptions of Shiveluch have occurred during the Holocene, making it the most vigorous andesitic volcano of the Kuril-Kamchatka arc. Frequent collapses of lava-dome complexes, most recently in 1964, have produced large debris avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of the breached caldera. Intermittent explosive eruptions began in the 1990s from a new lava dome that began growing in 1980. The largest historical eruptions from Shiveluch occurred in 1854 and 1964.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) http://ds.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vaac/data/vaac_list.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sally Kuhn Sennert

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report Editor

Global Volcanism Program

http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

Department of Mineral Sciences, MRC-119

Washington, D.C., 20560

Phone: 202.633.1805

Fax: 202.357.2476

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[ Volcano ]

__,_._,___

[ Volcano ] Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 13-19 November 2013

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Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 13-19 November 2013
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Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

13-19 November 2013

Sally Kuhn Sennert - Weekly Report Editor

kuhns@si.edu

URL: http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/

New Activity/Unrest

COLIMA México 19.514°N, 103.62°W; summit elev. 3850 m

The Washington VAAC reported that at 0730 on 17 November a possible ash emission from Colima produced a plume that drifted almost 20 km E.

Source: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html

ETNA Sicily (Italy) 37.734°N, 15.004°E; summit elev. 3330 m

INGV reported that weak Strombolian explosions from Etna's New Southeast Crater (NSEC) were visible on 13 November. INGV-Osservatorio Etneo staff visited the area the next day and noted that explosions were heard one to three times per minute, and during times of good visibility no pyroclastic material was ejected. Sporadic ejections of incandescent pyroclastics were observed after nightfall. Early on 16 November Strombolian activity gradually intensified; however, only pulsating puffs of vapor, but no ash, were produced.

On 17 November a new paroxysmal eruptive episode was characterized by violent Strombolian activity and pulsating lava fountains, emission of lava flows that traveled S, ESE, and NE, and the formation of an eruption column charged with pyroclastic material that drifted NE. The episode ended with a long series of powerful explosions and loud bangs heard tens of kilometers away. Strombolian activity continued until the late evening; after nightfall, a small lava flow issued from an effusive vent located on the lower E flank of the NSEC cone.

Source: INGV Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo www.ct.ingv.it/

MERAPI Central Java (Indonesia) 7.542°S, 110.442°E; summit elev. 2968 m

According to news articles, a phreatic eruption at Merapi on 18 November produced an ash plume that rose 2 km above the crater and caused ashfall in areas as far as 60 km E. About 600 families from the Glagaharjo village gathered at evacuation assembly points, while others on the W flank evacuated then returned to their homes hours later.

Geologic Summary. Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, lies in one of the world's most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape immediately N of the major city of Yogyakarta. The steep-sided modern Merapi edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent eruptive activity, was constructed to the SW of an arcuate scarp cutting the eroded older Batulawang volcano. Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying growth and collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have devastated cultivated and inhabited lands on the volcano's western-to-southern flanks and caused many fatalities during historical time. The volcano is the object of extensive monitoring efforts by the Merapi Volcano Observatory (MVO).

Source: Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/19/hundreds-villagers-flee-mount-merapi-eruptio ns.html

SINABUNG Sumatra (Indonesia) 3.17°N, 98.392°E; summit elev. 2460 m

Based on webcam data and satellite images, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 13-14 November an ash plume from Sinabung rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 150 km NW and W. According to a news article, a pyroclastic flow traveled 1.2 km down the SE flank on 14 November, prompting more evacuations from villages near the base of the volcano. The article noted that more than 7,000 people had been evacuated from 10 villages.

An explosion observed with the webcam on 18 November produced an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 7.6 km (25,000 ft) a.s.l. About 30 minutes later an ash plume also visible in satellite images rose to an altitude of 11.3 km (37,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 65 km W. Four hours later satellite images showed ash plumes at an altitude of 9.1 km (30,000 ft) a.s.l. to the W of Sinabung and at an altitude of 4.6 km (15,000 ft) a.s.l. over the crater. On 19 November the webcam recorded an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 4.6 km (15,000 ft) a.s.l. over the crater. A news article stated that later that night that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 10 km (32,800 ft) a.s.l.

A news article from 20 November noted that volcanologists updated the hazard map for Sinabung. The second-tier disaster-prone area, previously defined as a radius of 2-3 km from Sinabung's crater, was expanded to 4-5 km.

Sources: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) ftp://ftp.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/vaac/

Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/15/volcanic-ash-n-sumatra-floods-w-papua-force- villagers-flee.html

Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/20/mt-sinabung-record-breaking-ash-cloud.html

Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/20/scientists-redraw-hazard-map-mt-sinabung.htm l

YASUR Vanuatu (SW Pacific) 19.53°S, 169.442°E; summit elev. 361 m

On 19 November, the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory reported that a new phase of ash emissions from Yasur began on 3 November. The intensity of the explosive activity remained low; therefore the Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 0-4).

Geologic Summary. Yasur, the best-known and most frequently visited of the Vanuatu volcanoes, has been in more-or-less continuous Strombolian and vulcanian activity since Captain Cook observed ash eruptions in 1774. This style of activity may have continued for the past 800 years. Yasur is a mostly unvegetated pyroclastic cone with a nearly circular, 400-m-wide summit crater. Yasur is largely contained within the small Yenkahe caldera in SE Tanna Island. It is the youngest of a group of Holocene volcanic centers constructed over the down-dropped NE flank of the Pleistocene Tukosmeru volcano. Active tectonism along the Yenkahe horst accompanying eruptions of Yasur has raised Port Resolution harbor more than 20 m during the past century.

Source: Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory http://www.geohazards.gov.vu/

Ongoing Activity

BAGANA Bougainville 6.140°S, 155.195°E; summit elev. 1750 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 14-18 November ash plumes from Bagana rose to an altitude of 2.7 km (9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 35-110 km W and SW.

Geologic Summary. Bagana volcano, occupying a remote portion of central Bougainville Island, is one of Melanesia's youngest and most active volcanoes. Bagana is a massive symmetrical lava cone largely constructed by an accumulation of viscous andesitic lava flows. The entire lava cone could have been constructed in about 300 years at its present rate of lava production. Eruptive activity at Bagana is characterized by non-explosive effusion of viscous lava that maintains a small lava dome in the summit crater, although explosive activity occasionally producing pyroclastic flows also occurs. Lava flows form dramatic, freshly preserved tongue-shaped lobes up to 50-m-thick with prominent levees that descend the volcano's flanks on all sides.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/AU/messages.html

CHIRINKOTAN Kuril Islands 48.980°N, 153.480°E; summit elev. 724 m

SVERT reported that during 13-15 November a thermal anomaly over Chirinkotan was observed, as well as steam-and-gas emissions during 14-15 November. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow.

Source: Sakhalin Volcanic Eruption Response Team (SVERT) http://www.imgg.ru/?id_d=659

CHIRPOI Kuril Islands (Russia) 46.525°N, 150.875°E; summit elev. 742 m

SVERT reported that a thermal anomaly from Snow, a volcano of Chirpoi, was detected in satellite images during 13-15 November. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow.

Source: Sakhalin Volcanic Eruption Response Team (SVERT) http://www.imgg.ru/en/home.html

COPAHUE Central Chile-Argentina border 37.85°S, 71.17°W; summit elev. 2997 m

Based on ODVAS webcam views and satellite images, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that on 15 November a low-level diffuse plume from Copahue drifted almost 40 km NW. Later that night a thermal anomaly was detected by satellite and light from a full moon allowed webcam views of a possible ash emission. The next day steam-and-gas emissions were observed with the webcam. The Alert Level remained at Yellow.

Source: Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) http://www.smn.gov.ar/vaac/buenosaires/productos.php

FUEGO Guatemala 14.473°N, 90.880°W; summit elev. 3763 m

On 18 November INSIVUMEH reported that during the previous week explosions from Fuego produced ash plumes that rose 450-750 m and drifted W and SW. Some of the explosions generated rumbling noises, shock waves detected within 15 km, and rattled structures in Panimaché (8 km SW), Panimaché II (8 km SW), Morelia (9 km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), and Sangre de Cristo (8 km WSW). A 600-m-long lava flow was active on the SE flank, and block avalanches that descended the Ceniza drainage (SSW) reached vegetated areas. Ashfall was reported in Panimaché, Morelia, and Sangre de Cristo.

Geologic Summary. Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta, lies between 3,763-m-high Fuego and its twin volcano to the N, Acatenango. Construction of Meseta volcano continued until the late Pleistocene or early Holocene, after which growth of the modern Fuego volcano continued the southward migration of volcanism that began at Acatenango. Frequent vigorous historical eruptions have been recorded at Fuego since the onset of the Spanish era in 1524, and have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional pyroclastic flows and lava flows. The last major explosive eruption from Fuego took place in 1974, producing spectacular pyroclastic flows visible from Antigua.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/

KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1536 m

KVERT reported that moderate seismic activity at Karymsky was detected during 8-15 November. Satellite images detected a daily thermal anomaly on the volcano, possibly indicating weak Vulcanian and Strombolian activity. Ash plumes drifted 140 km SE and E during 9-10 November. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php

KILAUEA Hawaii (USA) 19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m

During 13-19 November HVO reported that the circulating lava lake occasionally rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. The plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, spatter, and Pele's hair onto nearby areas. At Pu'u 'O'o Crater, glow emanated from spatter cones on the N and S portions of the crater floor. On 18 November the southernmost spatter cone produced a lava flow that after a few hours burst out in a dome fountain; lava spread over much of the S crater floor before stopping about 30 minutes later. The 7.1-km-long Kahauale'a 2 lava flow, fed by the NE spatter cone, was active with scattered break-out flows and burned the forest N of Pu'u 'O'o.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/

MANAM Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific) 4.080°S, 145.037°E; summit elev. 1807 m

RVO reported that both Manam's Southern Crater and Main Crater were quiet during 1 October-15 November. White vapor emissions rose from Southern Crater and on some days were slightly bluish. Light gray ash clouds and bright incandescence were visible on 31 October. Main Crater only produced white vapor plumes.

Geologic Summary. The 10-km-wide island of Manam, lying 13 km off the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea, is one of the country's most active volcanoes. Four large radial valleys extend from the unvegetated summit of the conical 1807-m-high basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano to its lower flanks. These "avalanche valleys," regularly spaced 90 degrees apart, channel lava flows and pyroclastic avalanches that have sometimes reached the coast. Two summit craters are present; both are active, although most historical eruptions have originated from the southern crater, concentrating eruptive products during much of the past century into the SE avalanche valley. Frequent historical eruptions, typically of mild-to-moderate scale, have been recorded at Manam since 1616. Occasional larger eruptions have produced pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached flat-lying coastal areas and entered the sea, sometimes impacting populated areas.

Source: Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)

RABAUL New Britain 4.271°S, 152.203°E; summit elev. 688 m

RVO reported that Rabaul caldera's Tavurvur cone was quiet during 1-12 November. At 0516 on 13 November a moderate explosion generated a dense billowing ash cloud that rose 1 km above the crater and drifted NW. A few more explosions continued after that, at irregular intervals; notably on 14 November at 0738, 0851, 1308, 2044, and on 15 November at 1903. Ash plumes from these events also drifted NW. During 1-15 November seismicity was very low, except for events associated with the explosions. Deformation measurements showed slight inflation of the central part of the caldera; the long-term inflationary trend continued.

Geologic Summary. The low-lying Rabaul caldera on the tip of the Gazelle Peninsula at the NE end of New Britain forms a broad sheltered harbor. The outer flanks of the 688-m-high asymmetrical pyroclastic shield volcano are formed by thick pyroclastic-flow deposits. The 8 x 14 km caldera is widely breached on the E, where its floor is flooded by Blanche Bay. Two major Holocene caldera-forming eruptions at Rabaul took place as recently as 3,500 and 1,400 years ago. Three small stratovolcanoes lie outside the northern and NE caldera rims. Post-caldera eruptions built basaltic-to-dacitic pyroclastic cones on the caldera floor near the NE and western caldera walls. Several of these, including Vulcan cone, which was formed during a large eruption in 1878, have produced major explosive activity during historical time. A powerful explosive eruption in 1994 occurred simultaneously from Vulcan and Tavurvur volcanoes and forced the temporary abandonment of Rabaul city.

Source: Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)

SHIVELUCH Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3283 m

KVERT reported that during 8-15 November several strong explosions from Shiveluch generated ash plumes that rose to a maximum altitude of 7 km (24,600 ft) a.s.l. Viscous lava continued to effuse onto the N and NE flanks of the lava dome, accompanied by hot avalanches, incandescence, ash explosions, and fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was detected in satellite images. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) http://ds.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vaac/data/vaac_list.html

ULAWUN New Britain 5.05°S, 151.33°E; summit elev. 2334 m

RVO reported that during 1 October-15 November activity at Ulawun was low; small volumes of white vapor and gray and gray-brown ash plumes rose 100 m above the crater and drifted S. Seismicity was low with RSAM values fluctuating between 100 and 150 units throughout the period.

Geologic Summary. The symmetrical basaltic to andesitic Ulawun stratovolcano is the highest volcano of the Bismarck arc, and one of Papua New Guinea's most frequently active. Ulawun rises above the N coast of New Britain opposite Bamus volcano. The upper 1,000 m of the 2,334-m-high volcano is unvegetated. A steep-walled valley cuts the NW side of the volcano, and a flank lava-flow complex lies to the S of this valley. Historical eruptions date back to the beginning of the 18th century. Twentieth-century eruptions were mildly explosive until 1967, but after 1970 several larger eruptions produced lava flows and basaltic pyroclastic flows, greatly modifying the summit crater.

Source: Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sally Kuhn Sennert

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report Editor

Global Volcanism Program

http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

Department of Mineral Sciences, MRC-119

Washington, D.C., 20560

Phone: 202.633.1805
Fax: 202.357.2476

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[ Volcano ]

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