VOLCANO MADNESS: [Geology2] Volcanic activity worldwide 4 Apr 2016

Volcanic activity worldwide 4 Apr 2016: Popocatépetl volcano, Bromo, Turrialba, Sangay, Sakurajima,...

Monday Apr 04, 2016

Strong explosion at Sakurajima on 2 April

Ash emission from Bromo yesterday (image: PVMBG / Instagram)

Eruption of Popocatépetl last evening

Eruption of Turrialba yesterday

Seismic trace of SAGA seismic station at Sangay volcano (IGEPN)

Lava laka in Villarrica volcano as seen on 3 April (source: Lago Villarrica / facebook)

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): During the past days, the volcano has been in a very active state again, producing multiple and relatively strong vulcanian explosions that showered the upper crater area with incandescent bombs and generated ash plumes that rose up to 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.
It seems that along with the recent increase in explosions, most activity has again returned to the Showa crater.

Bromo (East Java, Indonesia): New ash emissions resumed at the volcano again since yesterday. A plume of steam and moderate ash content been rising a few hundred meters and drifting approx. 40 km into westerly directions over East Java.
No additional details about the activity from the volcano observatory are currently available.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): The volcano had a relatively strong explosion yesterday evening at 20:31 local time. It produced a 2 km ash column and ejected incandescent fragments that landed in to up to 3.5 km distance on the eastern and southeastern flanks, igniting some bush fires on the upper slopes of the volcano.
An overflight on Saturday with the help of a Federal Police helicopter showed that yet another cycle of dome growth and destruction has recently completed at El Popo (and a new one is about to begin): during their survey, CENAPRED scientists observed that the most recent lava dome, which had been growing since January and lately contained up to approx. 2 million cubic meters of lava, was missing, obviously destroyed by the volcano's recent series of explosions. In its place, a new inner crater approx. 50 m deep and 325 m in diameter was seen. Likely, the near future will see another dome growing inside it.

Turrialba (Costa Rica): A small, probably phreatic eruption occurred at the volcano's crater yesterday morning at 09:00 local time. The explosion, which lasted 30 seconds, produced a small dense ash plume that quickly dissipated.
Link: Video of the eruption (OVSICORI-UNA / facebook)

Sangay (Ecuador): The most recent (so far mild) summit eruption of the volcano continues. A steam and ash plume rising several 100 m above the crater and extending approx. 10 km west from the summit was reported this morning by VAAC Washington and can also be found on the occasional social media picture. No close-by observations are currently available (Sangay is one of the most remote and difficult-to-access active volcanoes in South America).
Seismic data show rhythmic small bursts likely from strombolian explosions in the summit crater, whereas satellite-based spectrometers detected the presence of a strong heat source at the crater, possibly from a lava flow, since 22 March.
As Culture Volcan observed, the intense heat radiation thus appeared several weeks AFTER the first known onset of mild explosive activity, and thus, is an indication that something changed around that date, producing significantly more heat. The easiest explanation would be the appearance of a new lava flow (or a small lava lake) inside the crater, or perhaps on the upper flank.

Villarrica (Central Chile): A small lava lake is active inside the volcano's summit crater. Vigorous degassing produces violent convection and occasional explosions that eject liquid lava spatter outside the inner pit crater.
Link: Video of lava lake (Lago Villarrica / facebook)
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Volcano Activity Summary for 4 Apr 2016:

Currently erupting:

Alaid (Northern Kuriles): intense thermal signal from summit crater, strong degassing (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Ambrym (Vanuatu): active lava lakes in several craters (updated 18 Feb 2016)
Aso (central Kyushu, Japan): degassing, sporadic steam / ash explosions (updated 8 Mar 2016)
Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): strombolian explosions, ash plumes up to 500 m, extrusion of a small lava dome with rockfalls (updated 28 Nov 2015)
Chikurachki (Paramushir Island): new eruption since end of March 2016 (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Colima (Western Mexico): sporadic small explosions (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Copahue (Chile/Argentina): seismic unrest, occasional ash venting (updated 22 Mar 2016)
Dukono (Halmahera): mild strombolian activity, continuous intense ash emissions (updated 21 Mar 2016)
Erebus (Antarctica): active lava lake in summit crater (updated 8 Dec 2014)
Erta Ale (Danakil depression, Ethiopia): overflowing lava lake (updated 2 Mar 2016)
Fuego (Guatemala): lava flows on S and W flanks, lava fountaining from summit vent (updated 29 Mar 2016)
Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): stromolian and phreatomagmatic explosions (updated 29 Oct 2015)
Karymsky (Kamchatka): occasional small explosions, thermal anomaly (updated 1 Mar 2016)
Kilauea (Hawai'i): new lava flow from vents on NE flank of Pu'u 'O'o (updated 28 Apr 2015)
Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): ash emissions, weak strombolian activity (updated 11 May 2015)
Masaya (Nicaragua): active lava lake in summit crater since mid Dec 2015 (updated 3 Apr 2016)
Momotombo (Nicaragua): intermittent vulcanian explosions (updated 29 Mar 2016)
Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): intermittent explosions, steaming, ash venting (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Nyiragongo (DRCongo): new vent on crater floor (updated 8 Mar 2016)
Ol Doinyo Lengai (Tanzania): effusion of natrocarbonatite lava inside the crater (updated 8 Jul 2013)
Pacaya (Guatemala): intense spattering from intra-crater cone (updated 29 Mar 2016)
Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): degassing, sporadic explosions, slowly growing lava dome (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Rabaul (Tavurvur) (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): lava fountains, ash emissions from Tavurvur cone (updated 12 Sep 2014)
Reventador (Ecuador): lava flow on SW flank (updated 24 Feb 2016)
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): sporadic vulcanian explosions from Minamidake and Showa crater (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Sangay (Ecuador): small strombolian activity in summit crater (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Santiaguito (Guatemala): intermittent explosions from Caliente dome, strong degassing (updated 29 Mar 2016)
Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): growing lava dome, lava flow, strombolian activity (updated 14 Feb 2016)
Shiveluch (Kamchatka): growing lava dome (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): continuing pyroclastic flows (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): weak, intermittent strombolian explosions (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): strombolian explosions in Ontake crater (updated 26 Mar 2016)
Tungurahua (Ecuador): large and frequent explosions, ash columns rising several km (updated 9 Mar 2016)
Ubinas (Peru): sporadic vulcanian explosions (updated 16 Jan 2016)
Villarrica (Central Chile): lava lake in summit crater, spattering, strombolian explosions (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Yasur (Tanna Island, Vanuatu): ash emissions, weak strombolian explosions (updated 13 Nov 2015)
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): steaming / degassing (updated 31 Mar 2016)

Eruption warning / minor activity:

Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): mild ash emissions (updated 3 Mar 2016)
Barren Island (Indian Ocean): weak thermal hot spot (updated 3 Mar 2016)
Bezymianny (Central Kamchatka Depression): steaming, weak seismic activity (updated 3 Jul 2014)
Bromo (East Java, Indonesia): degassing, mild ash venting (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Bulusan (Luzon Island, Philippines): occasional sporadic explosions (updated 23 Feb 2016)
Canlaon (Central Philippines): occasional sporadic explosions (updated 30 Mar 2016)
Cerro Negro (Nicaragua): increased earthquake activity (updated 16 Feb 2016)
Chirinkotan (Northern Kuriles, Russia): sporadic ash emissions (updated 28 Jul 2015)
Chirpoi (Kurile Islands, Russia): thermal hot spot visible on satellite imagery (updated 6 Mar 2016)
Cotopaxi (Ecuador): vulcanian explosions (updated 16 Aug 2015)
Etna (Sicily, Italy): weak, dilute ash emissions from NE crater (updated 19 Apr 2014)
Heard (Australia, Southern Indian Ocean): strombolian activity, lava flow from Mawson Peak summit crater (updated 1 Feb 2016)
Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): rockfalls, glowing lava dome (updated 13 Jan 2016)
Kavachi (Solomon Islands): no eruption since 2007 (updated 16 Jun 2014)
Kerinci (Sumatra): small ash emission on 30 Mar 2016 (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Kick 'em Jenny (West Indies, Grenada): volcanic unrest, eruption warning (updated 24 Jul 2015)
Krakatau (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): steaming, seismic unrest (updated 15 Nov 2015)
Kuchinoerabu-jima (Ryukyu Islands): large explosive eruption on 29 May 2015 (updated 27 Mar 2015)
Lascar (Northern Chile): sudden explosion on 30 Oct 2015 (updated 31 Oct 2015)
Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): seismic unrest, eruption warning (updated 9 Mar 2016)
Lopevi (Vanuatu): eruption warning (updated 16 Dec 2014)
MacDonald (Austral Islands, ): steaming observed (updated 6 Feb 2016)
Manam (Papua New Guinea): large explosion on 31 July 2015 (updated 4 Mar 2016)
Mayon (Luzon Island, Philippines): steaming (updated 18 Dec 2014)
Merapi (Central Java, Indonesia): sporadic phreatic explosions (updated 21 Aug 2015)
Michael (United Kingdom, South Sandwich Is): unspecified activity detected as hot spot on satellite data (updated 3 Oct 2015)
Nevados de Chillán (Central Chile): intermittent ash emissions (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Nyamuragira (DRCongo): active lava lake (updated 29 Nov 2014)
Ontake-san (Honshu): steaming, low seismic activity (updated 18 Dec 2014)
Papandayan (West Java): steaming (updated 6 May 2013)
Pavlof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): lava fountaining, tall ash emissions (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Poas (Costa Rica): phreatic explosions (updated 14 Oct 2014)
Rasshua (Central Kuriles)
Raung (East Java): intra-caldera eruption with lava flow and strombolian activity (updated 27 Aug 2015)
Rincón de la Vieja (Costa Rica): occasional explosions from the crater lake (updated 12 Mar 2016)
Sabancaya (Peru): steaming, elevated seismic activity (updated 11 Oct 2015)
Sacabaya (Northern Chile, Bolivia and Argentina)
San Cristobal (Nicaragua): possible ash emission on 11 April (updated 9 Mar 2015)
San Miguel (El Salvador): intermittent ash emissions (updated 15 Jan 2016)
Sangeang Api (Indonesia): weak lava extrusion from summit crater (updated 11 Nov 2015)
Sirung (Pantar Island, Indonesia ): degassing (updated 10 Jul 2015)
Slamet (Central Java): steam emissions (updated 12 Jan 2015)
Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): steaming, weakly active lava dome (updated 31 Mar 2016)
Telica (Nicaragua): degassing (updated 15 Mar 2016)
Turrialba (Costa Rica): sporadic ash emissions, weak crater glow (updated 4 Apr 2016)
Ulawun (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): degassing, ash venting (updated 5 Aug 2013)

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