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164706
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 12:49
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Kizimen volcano on Kamchatka spews ash columns at 7,4 km
PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, February 28 (Itar-Tass) - The Kizimen
volcano on Kamchatka has spewed ash columns to a height of 7.4 kilometres above sea level. There is no danger to nearby populated localities, but the volcanic dust can pose a threat to aircraft. All the concerned services have been warned, Itar-Tass was told on Monday at the Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).
The burst of the giant mount's activity had been predicted by
volcanologists on February 15. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) warned, based on data on seismic activity at the volcano, that Kizimen could spew ash to a height of 10 kilometres.
The volcano is currently given the "orange" air alert code - the
second highest after the "red." It warns that the volcanic dust and gases emitted into the atmosphere may adversely affect the operation of aircraft engines. An ash cloud is observed in the immediate vicinity of the giant mount, the Kamchatka Branch of the RAS Geophysical Service specified.
Kizimen whose height is 2.5 kilometres is located 265 kilometres north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The volcano's previous eruption was observed in 1928-1929. Since then, the giant was dormant until 2009. Researchers have no data about other eruptions of the volcano.
Scientists started to register seismic activity near Kizimen since
last summer. The volcano's powerful bursts of activity with ash emissions from the crater were recorded on December 13 and 28, 2010. On January 1, 2011, ash from the volcano fell in the eastern part of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and in the district centre of Yelizovo.
Kizimen is located in Shchapina graben, on the south-eastern edge of the Central Kamchatka Depression. The volcano is similar to Unzen in Japan in its characteristics. The north-western side of Kizimen volcano is cut by NE-SW-trending, westward-dipping normal faults, which form a series of cliffs. Kizimen volcano is one of the least understood active volcanoes in Kamchatka. It has the potential to produce a Mount St. Helens style eruption. Tephrachronological data show several catastrophic eruptions in evolution of Kizimen volcano. Several new fumaroles were formed at Kizimen volcano, Kamchatka in the middle of November 2010. A helicopter flight around the volcano on 20th November 2010 showed several new fumaroles at summit and south-western flank of the volcano. Activity of an old fumarole
"Revuschaya" (which is known since 1960) at the north-eastern volcanic
flank decreased. A small amount of ash was visible on south-western flank of the volcano. On 17th November 2010 an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3 km. Seismic activity at the volcano began increasing in July 2009.
Seismic activity at Kizimen volcano increased significantly from 9th
December 2010. A hotspot appeared over the volcano on December 10. A
volcanic ash advisory reported emissions to 9,000 ft.
The KVERT reported earlier that strong explosive eruption of the
volcano began at 19:57 UTC on December 12 and continued during 20 minutes.
The height of ash explosions was about 3.0-3.5 km (9,840-11,500 ft) ASL but strong wind whirled ash plume to the northwest. Lightnings were observed into ash explosions. Too much steams obscured the volcano after explosions. Ash falls occurred in the villages Kozyrevsk (110 km from the volcano) and Tigil (308 km from the volcano). Colour of ash was grey.
Smells of sulphur was perceptible in the air. The thickness of ash layers were 0.5 cm at Kozyrevsk (ash falls from 21:00 till 21:30) and 0.5 cm at Tigil (ash falls from 23:30 till 24:00). According to satellite data (MTSAT), a compact circle ash cloud in diameter about 90-120 km extending to the N-W from the volcano was noted from 20:30 till 21:30 UTC on December 12. From about 23:13 UTC on December 12, an amplitude of volcanic tremor began increasing. Probably strong explosive events will continue.
Experts started registering seismic activity near Kizimen since last
summer. They are permanently monitoring the volcano. It currently poses no danger to nearby populated localities, specialists believe.
The volcano's activity is under continuous monitoring. It poses no
danger to the nearby populated localities. Meanwhile, ash plumes from the eruption could pose a threat to aircraft, so all the concerned services are warned about this on a permanent basis.
The Kamchatka branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) told Itar-Tass earlier that active eruption of the Kizimen volcano on Kamchatka may negatively affect the ecosystem of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, located on the peninsula. This opinion was expressed on Friday by professionals working in the natural park, According to them, plumes of ash from the eruption of the giant mount, located on the border of the reserve, often shift towards conservation area. Because of fallen ash, according to experts, the snow there will melt earlier than usual this spring, which will lead to earlier and more rapid development of plants. Inhalation of volcanic dust by animals may cause an increase in their mortality. There is also a likelihood that they will start to leave the reserve and will lose the nature reserve regime protection.
volcano on Kamchatka has spewed ash columns to a height of 7.4 kilometres above sea level. There is no danger to nearby populated localities, but the volcanic dust can pose a threat to aircraft. All the concerned services have been warned, Itar-Tass was told on Monday at the Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).
The burst of the giant mount's activity had been predicted by
volcanologists on February 15. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) warned, based on data on seismic activity at the volcano, that Kizimen could spew ash to a height of 10 kilometres.
The volcano is currently given the "orange" air alert code - the
second highest after the "red." It warns that the volcanic dust and gases emitted into the atmosphere may adversely affect the operation of aircraft engines. An ash cloud is observed in the immediate vicinity of the giant mount, the Kamchatka Branch of the RAS Geophysical Service specified.
Kizimen whose height is 2.5 kilometres is located 265 kilometres north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The volcano's previous eruption was observed in 1928-1929. Since then, the giant was dormant until 2009. Researchers have no data about other eruptions of the volcano.
Scientists started to register seismic activity near Kizimen since
last summer. The volcano's powerful bursts of activity with ash emissions from the crater were recorded on December 13 and 28, 2010. On January 1, 2011, ash from the volcano fell in the eastern part of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and in the district centre of Yelizovo.
Kizimen is located in Shchapina graben, on the south-eastern edge of the Central Kamchatka Depression. The volcano is similar to Unzen in Japan in its characteristics. The north-western side of Kizimen volcano is cut by NE-SW-trending, westward-dipping normal faults, which form a series of cliffs. Kizimen volcano is one of the least understood active volcanoes in Kamchatka. It has the potential to produce a Mount St. Helens style eruption. Tephrachronological data show several catastrophic eruptions in evolution of Kizimen volcano. Several new fumaroles were formed at Kizimen volcano, Kamchatka in the middle of November 2010. A helicopter flight around the volcano on 20th November 2010 showed several new fumaroles at summit and south-western flank of the volcano. Activity of an old fumarole
"Revuschaya" (which is known since 1960) at the north-eastern volcanic
flank decreased. A small amount of ash was visible on south-western flank of the volcano. On 17th November 2010 an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3 km. Seismic activity at the volcano began increasing in July 2009.
Seismic activity at Kizimen volcano increased significantly from 9th
December 2010. A hotspot appeared over the volcano on December 10. A
volcanic ash advisory reported emissions to 9,000 ft.
The KVERT reported earlier that strong explosive eruption of the
volcano began at 19:57 UTC on December 12 and continued during 20 minutes.
The height of ash explosions was about 3.0-3.5 km (9,840-11,500 ft) ASL but strong wind whirled ash plume to the northwest. Lightnings were observed into ash explosions. Too much steams obscured the volcano after explosions. Ash falls occurred in the villages Kozyrevsk (110 km from the volcano) and Tigil (308 km from the volcano). Colour of ash was grey.
Smells of sulphur was perceptible in the air. The thickness of ash layers were 0.5 cm at Kozyrevsk (ash falls from 21:00 till 21:30) and 0.5 cm at Tigil (ash falls from 23:30 till 24:00). According to satellite data (MTSAT), a compact circle ash cloud in diameter about 90-120 km extending to the N-W from the volcano was noted from 20:30 till 21:30 UTC on December 12. From about 23:13 UTC on December 12, an amplitude of volcanic tremor began increasing. Probably strong explosive events will continue.
Experts started registering seismic activity near Kizimen since last
summer. They are permanently monitoring the volcano. It currently poses no danger to nearby populated localities, specialists believe.
The volcano's activity is under continuous monitoring. It poses no
danger to the nearby populated localities. Meanwhile, ash plumes from the eruption could pose a threat to aircraft, so all the concerned services are warned about this on a permanent basis.
The Kamchatka branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) told Itar-Tass earlier that active eruption of the Kizimen volcano on Kamchatka may negatively affect the ecosystem of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, located on the peninsula. This opinion was expressed on Friday by professionals working in the natural park, According to them, plumes of ash from the eruption of the giant mount, located on the border of the reserve, often shift towards conservation area. Because of fallen ash, according to experts, the snow there will melt earlier than usual this spring, which will lead to earlier and more rapid development of plants. Inhalation of volcanic dust by animals may cause an increase in their mortality. There is also a likelihood that they will start to leave the reserve and will lose the nature reserve regime protection.
