No eruption at Karkar – local reports 29 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, Karkar, Papua New Guinea.Tags: Karkar, Papua New Guinea, volcanic activity reports
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Further to our report of 27 November (Karkar update, 27 November 2009: the eruption that wasn’t?) it is now clear that whatever it was that caused Darwin VAAC to report a major eruption at Karkar volcano in Papua New Guinea, it was not in fact an eruption.
Information has come in from people at the scene: Jan Messersmith at Eruptions and here at The Volcanism Blog, and Kenny Nalu at this blog yesterday, both say that there is no sign of any unusual activity at Karkar, and that those living on the island itself confirm that nothing is going on. Darwin VAAC itself has now gone very quiet: it’s evident that on Karkar they got it wrong.
Many thanks to Jan and Kenny in Papua New Guinea for getting in touch. Check out Jan’s blog, by the way – wonderful pictures!
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Karkar – summary information for Karkar (0501-03=)
Galeras alert level reduced 28 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, Colombia, Galeras.Tags: Colombia, Galeras, South America, volcanic activity reports
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The alert level for Galeras volcano in southern Colombia, which erupted on 20th November, has been reduced from level II Orange to level III Yellow, on a scale of I-IV, where I is the highest. The latest INGEOMINAS bulletin reports ‘continuing low levels of seismicity’ with an absence of the seismic signals which in the past have signalled the run-up to an eruption.
During the overflight of Galeras carried out on 26 November (which ended so tragically) gas emissions were observed from the edges, internal walls and areas of the floor of the principal crater, and thermal anomalies were detected with temperatures reaching 200° C.
For all our Galeras coverage: Galeras « The Volcanism Blog.
Information
Global Volcanism Program – Galeras – summary information for Galeras (1501-08=)
Portal Corporativo de INGEOMINAS – Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería
Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Pasto – Pasto volcanological observatory main page
Vanuatu: Gaua volcano update 28 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, eruptions, Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu.Tags: Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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The Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory has published a fresh update on the situation at Gaua volcano, which has recently shown an increased level of activity, forcing evacuations. Gaua Bulletin No. 3, dated 24 November (but only just published on the Observatory’s website) reports ‘a big explosion of the Gaua volcano in November 18th 2009 at 2pm’ followed by ‘very thick and high emissions of ash columns that were covering the areas exposed to trade winds in the West’. Photographs show the comparative size of the ash plume on 31 October and 18 November. The bulletin also notes that there was an increase in seismicity at the volcano from 25 October onwards.
The alert level for Gaua remains unchanged at 2 (‘moderate eruptions’).
For all our coverage of Gaua: Gaua « The Volcanism Blog.
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Gaua – summary information for Gaua (0507-02=)
Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory – official Vanuatu geohazards website
Vanuatu volcanoes and volcanics – information from the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
Helicopter crashes after Galeras overflight: one dead 27 November 2009
Posted by admin in Colombia, Galeras, volcano monitoring.Tags: Colombia, Galeras, volcano monitoring
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A helicopter of the Colombian Air Force crashed yesterday on its return to a military airfield in Pasto after completing an overflight of Galeras volcano for the Colombian geological service INGEOMINAS. The helicopter was carrying two Air Force crew and two INGEOMINAS personnel. The co-pilot, an Air Force lieutenant, died in the accident.
In co-operation with the Colombian Air Force, INGEOMINAS operates a programme of frequent overflights as part of its work of monitoring Colombia’s active volcanoes. Such overflights are a vital element in the monitoring and research work carried out by volcanological and geological authorities across the world. This accident is a sad reminder that this essential work is not without risk.
INGEOMINAS statement, 26 November 2009 (PDF)
For all our Galeras coverage: Galeras « The Volcanism Blog.
News
Muere copiloto de aeronave que se accidentó en Pasto – Caracol Radio, 26 November 2009
Muere teniente de la FAC al caer helicóptero cerca del Galeras – La Vanguardia Liberal, 26 October 2009
Accidentado helicóptero que sobrevoló el Galeras – El Tiempo, 26 November 2009
Accidente de helicóptero de la Fuerza Aérea deja un muerto – W Radio, 27 November 2009
Information
Global Volcanism Program – Galeras – summary information for Galeras (1501-08=)
Portal Corporativo de INGEOMINAS – Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería
Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Pasto – Pasto volcanological observatory main page
Ocean crust formation not such a passive business 27 November 2009
Posted by admin in volcanoes.Tags: current research, geoscience, Nature, ocean crust formation
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New research indicates that the formation of ocean crust is not always a passive business, but has an important dynamic component. The study is based on analysis of seismic wave velocities in the uppermost 200 km of the mantle beneath the Gulf of California:
The seismic waves in three localized centers, spaced about 250 kilometers (155 miles) apart, traveled more slowly than waves in the surrounding mantle, implying the presence of more melt in the localized centers and thus a more vigorous upwelling. From that, the geologists determined the centers, located 40-90 kilometers (25 to 56 miles) below the surface, showed evidence of dynamic upwelling in the mantle. [from the Brown University press release]
This research is published in a letter to the current issue of Nature (home of the snappy science headline – ‘Developmental Biology: Down the tube’, ‘Meteorology: Can’t beat the heat’, etc.), available in full to subscribers.
- Yun Wang, Donald W. Forsyth & Brian Savage, ‘Convective upwelling in the mantle beneath the Gulf of California’, Nature, vol. 462 no. 7272 (26 Nov 2009), pp. 499-501 [doi:10.1038/nature08552]. Click here for summary.
Oceanic crust formation is dynamic after all – Brown University press release, 23 November 2009
Vanuatu: Gaua evacuations continue 27 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, eruptions, Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu.Tags: Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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The evacuation of residents of Gaua island in northern Vanuatu is continuing, reports Radio New Zealand International (RNZI). The active cone of Gaua volcano, Mt Garet, which has been showing low-level eruptive activity for around two months, has increased its activity over the last few days: gas emissions and ashfall have seriously affected life in the island’s eastern portion, and people from that area are being moved by boat to the unaffected western region of the island. RNZI reports that gas masks are being sent to Gaua, and that tourists are being warned to keep away from the volcano.
No update yet on the current activity at the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory website, but in fairness it must be pointed out that the observatory’s hard-pressed staff are working with very limited resources (they don’t even have the seismographs they need to monitor Gaua adequately).
For all our coverage of Gaua: Gaua « The Volcanism Blog.
News
Gas masks sent to Vanuatu island where locals are forced to evacuate – Radio New Zealand International, 26 November 2009
Tourists warned off Vanuatu’s Gaua volcano – Radio New Zealand International, 27 November 2009
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Gaua – summary information for Gaua (0507-02=)
Vanuatu volcanoes and volcanics – information from the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
Karkar update, 27 November 2009: the eruption that wasn’t? 27 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, eruptions, Karkar, Papua New Guinea.Tags: Karkar, Papua New Guinea, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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Has Karkar volcano in Papua New Guinea erupted or not? We have dramatic reports from Darwin VAAC of towering plumes, but absolutely no information whatsoever from anywhere else.
Karkar is no desolate speck but a populated island: this Papua New Guinea government web page (cached version here in case, as is not uncommon with PNG government sites, the original isn’t working) says that ‘In 1979 the population of Karkar Island was about 23,000. Today the population has almost doubled to about 42,000′. Sadly it doesn’t say when ‘today’ was, but clearly there is a population, and a substantial one, so if the island’s volcano were blowing its top you’d expect to hear about it. A resident of Madang province comments on Erik Klemetti’s Eruptions blog: ‘We felt a minor earthquake at the time mentioned. However, though obscured by some clouds, we looked in vain for any action at Kar Kar Island, which I can see clearly from my veranda. We called friends who live on Kar Kar island and they told us that nothing was happening’.
So, local residents say nothing is happening and there are no reports in the PNG or other regional press, no MODIS hotspots, no SO2 traces, no satellite imagery (satellite imagery for this part of the world is not easy to find: Terra, Aqua and MERIS haven’t quite covered Karkar for the past few days). The weather has been overcast in the area, which doesn’t help.
So what, if anything, happened? This could have been a substantial steam-and-gas emission rather than an eruption plume; Darwin VAAC’s sources could have exaggerated the height of the emissions; it could have been an entirely different phenomenon such as an unusual cloud formation; or it could have been nothing at all. The VAACs have to respond to reports, have to err on the side of aviation safety, and cannot always be definite about when an eruption has ended or an eruption cloud dissipated, particularly when satellite coverage is limited or unavailable (the original source of Darwin’s information was satellite data, but there has been no fresh satellite information since their initial report).
Darwin’s latest volcanic ash advisory, issued 26 November at 17:14 UTC, reports no fresh observations of the supposed eruption plumes since 25 November at 22:32 UTC (that report was in this advisory), and concludes, as have all recent reports, that ‘volcano and latest VA plume not identifiable due to meteorological cloud’.
More news here (and at Eruptions, doubtless) as it comes in – if it comes in.
UPDATE: Commenter Chance Metz has provided a link to this obscure US Navy satellite site which gives MTSAT data covering Papua New Guinea. A quick review – all I have time for – of the images covering the last two days seems to show nothing unusual. Can anyone else find any sign of this supposed activity?
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Karkar – summary information for Karkar (0501-03=)
SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 18-24 November 2009 26 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, Batu Tara, Caribbean, Chaitén, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, eruptions, Galeras, Guatemala, Hawaii, Indonesia, Japan, Kamchatka, Karymsky, Kilauea, Kliuchevskoi, Mexico, Pacaya, Papua New Guinea, Popocatépetl, Rabaul, Reventador, Russia, Sakura-jima, Santa María, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Soufrière Hills, Suwanose-jima, United States, Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports.Tags: Global Volcanism Program, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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Click on the map for a larger version (1280 x 898 pixels).
The Smithsonian Institution/United States Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 18-24 November 2009 is available on the Global Volcanism Program website. The following is a summary and not a substitute for the full report.
- The current report: Weekly Volcanic Activity Report.
- Previous reports: Weekly Reports Archive.
- The SI/USGS map of volcanoes discussed this week.
New activity/unrest: Galeras (Colombia), Sarychev Peak (Russia).
Ongoing activity: Batu Tara (Indonesia), Chaitén (Chile), Karymsky (Russia), Kilauea (Hawaii, USA), Kliuchevskoi (Russia), Pacaya (Guatemala), Popocatépetl (Mexico), Rabaul (Papua New Guinea), Reventador (Ecuador), Sakura-jima (Japan), Santa María (Guatemala), Shiveluch (Russia), Soufrière Hills (Montserrat), Suwanose-jima (Japan).
Evacuations in Vanuatu as Gaua activity increases 26 November 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, eruptions, Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu.Tags: Gaua, Pacific, Vanuatu, volcanic activity reports
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Gaua volcano in northern Vanuatu is reported to have erupted early today. At the moment there is no official news from Vanuatu itself, but regional news sources (see below) are reporting that gas emissions and ash fall have increased during the past two days and that 300 residents of the eastern half of Gaua island are being evacuated by the Vanuatu Government and the Red Cross to the west of the island.
Efline Garaebiti, head of the Vanuatu Government disaster monitoring team, is reported by Australian news sources as saying that it is ‘unlikely’ that Gaua volcano ‘will erupt completely’, which suggests that this is an increase in the ongoing emissions of gas and ash rather than a full-scale eruption. Strong winds in recent days may also have increased the effects of the emissions on the local population.
The Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory website has no report as yet on the current situation, and the alert level for Gaua remains at level 2, ‘minor eruption’.
For all our coverage of Gaua: Gaua « The Volcanism Blog.
News
Vanuatu volcano forces hundreds to evacuate – Australia Network News, 26 November 2009
Pacific volcano erupts, leading to evacuation of hundreds – New Straits Times, 26 November 2009
Volcano erupts in Vanuatu: Red Cross – Sydney Morning Herald, 26 November 2009
300 evacuated from villages in Vanuatu due to gas and ash from volcano – Radio New Zealand International, 26 November 2009
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Gaua – summary information for Gaua (0507-02=)
Vanuatu volcanoes and volcanics – information from the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
Dr Boris Behncke Q&A at Eruptions 25 November 2009
Posted by admin in volcanoes.Tags: Boris Behncke, Italy, volcanology
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If you want to know about the volcanoes of Italy, Dr Boris Behncke of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia is your man. Dr Behncke features in Erik Klemetti’s second volcanologist Q&A over at the Eruptions blog, and as you might expect the result is a volcanological feast. Highly recommended – part 1 is here, and part 2 is soon to follow.
UPDATE 27 Nov 2009. More very good questions and excellent answers: Part 2 of Boris Behncke’s Eruptions Q&A is now available here.
