Llaima | The Volcanism Blog

Llaima: increase in seismic activity leads to increased alert level 27 April 2010

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Chilean state geological service SERNAGEOMIN announced on 25 April that the alert level for Llaima is being raised from Yellow Level 3 to Yellow Level 4 because of ‘the occurrence of earthquakes with high energy levels and tremor signals with durations of up to 20 minutes’. OVDAS volcanologist Gustavo Fuentealba is quoted in El Mercurio as warning that the crater of Llaima remains obstructed (as confirmed in ONEMI’s bulletin of 25 April, which reports the findings of an overflight of the volcano), and that this ‘increases the risk of a new eruption’. There is no change in the appearance of the volcano; fumarolic activity continues from the summit crater.

[Thanks to regular reader Guillermo for information about Llaima.]

For all our Llaima coverage: Llaima « The Volcanism Blog.

News
Alarma por alerta amarilla en el volcán Llaima – La Nación, 24 April 2010
En alerta amarilla cinco comunas adyacentes al volcán Llaima – El Mercurio, 25 April 2010
Onemi decretó alerta amarilla por actividad en el volcán Llaima – Cooperativa.cl, 26 April 2010

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Llaima – summary information for Llaima (1507-11=)
Oficina Nacional de Emergencia – Chilean government emergencies office
SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile
Proyecto Observación Visual Volcán Llaima – Llaima Visual Observation Project

Lowered alert level at Llaima 27 March 2010

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The Chilean state geological service SERNAGEOMIN reports in its latest Llaima bulletin that during 5-22 March 2010 ‘seismic activity around Llaima volcano has in general declined, returning to the levels shown before the earthquake of 27 February’. An overflight on 10 March revealed a low level of fumarolic activity, with occasional small white emissions columns reaching approximately 100 metres above the main crater.

As a result of the low levels of activity, the alert level for Llaima (which was raised on 5 March) has been reduced to Yellow Level 3, but the 4-km radius exclusion zone around the crater is remaining in place, and the volcano will continue to be monitored on a continuous basis.

The full Llaima bulletin covering 5-22 March 2010 is available as a PDF here.

For all our Llaima coverage: Llaima « The Volcanism Blog.

Chile: alert level raised at Llaima 6 March 2010

Posted by admin in activity reports, Chile, Llaima, Villarrica.
Tags: Chile, Llaima, Villarrica, volcanic activity reports
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The Chilean state geological service SERNAGEOMIN carried out an overflight of Llaima volcano on 4 March, and in the light of the observations made have raised the alert level for Llaima from Yellow Level 3 to the slightly higher Yellow Level 4.

A bulletin issued on 5 March reports that there has been no major change in the activity or morphology of Llaima since the last analysis on 21 February (although the rate of gas emissions, mainly sulphur dioxide, has increased), there have been large rockfalls on the slopes and some cracking of the ice on the northern and northwestern flanks, ‘possibly due to the powerful movement generated by the earthquake of 27 February 2010). The bulletin also suggests that swarms of tectonic quakes near Llaima have been caused by the fault system responding to the 27 February earthquake. Within the volcano, ‘an increase in the amplitude and duration of seismic activity (tremor)’ , and seismic signals ‘suggesting movement of fluids through minor cracks of a superficial character’, have been detected since the afternoon of 4 March.

This seismic activity has led SERNAGEOMIN to raise the alert level to Yellow Level 4, and to recommend an exclusion zone of 4 km radius aroud the volcano. ONEMI have more details of the alert level for Llaima and the surrounding area in a bulletin issued today.

There are some suggestions in the (Argentine) press that Villarrica volcano has also had its alert level raised, but there is no confirmation of this from SERNAGEOMIN or OVDAS, or in Chilean press reports. The most recent SERNAGEOMIN verdict on Villarrica is in a report on the volcanic chain between San Fernando and Puerto Montt, also issued on 5 March, which describes its current behaviour as ‘normal fumarolic activity’. This morning’s webcam views seem to show fresh ash on Villarrica’s upper slopes, and incandescence has been visible from the crater at night. (More on Villarrica later.)

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 10-16 February 2010 18 February 2010

Posted by admin in activity reports, Bagana, Bezymianny, Caribbean, Chaitén, Chile, Colombia, Dukono, Ecuador, eruptions, Guatemala, Hawaii, Indonesia, Japan, Kamchatka, Karangetang, Karymsky, Kilauea, Kliuchevskoi, Llaima, Nevado del Huila, Pacaya, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sakura-jima, Shiveluch, Soufrière Hills, Suwanose-jima, Tiatia, Tungurahua, Ulawun, United States, Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports.
Tags: Global Volcanism Program, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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Some of the volcanic activity headlines for the past week:

Llaima: steam-and-gas plumes detected, alert level raised
Soufrière Hills: major dome collapse, resulting ash plume reaches 15.2 km altitude
Nevado del Huila: gas emissions and thermal anomalies detected on the lava dome
Tungurahua: ash plumes rose to altitudes of 5.5 to 9 km

Click on the map for a larger version (1280 x 898 pixels).

The Smithsonian Institution/United States Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 10-16 February 2010 is now 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: Bezymianny (Russia), Llaima (Chile), Soufrière Hills (Montserrat), Tiatia (Russia), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea).

Ongoing activity: Bagana (Papua New Guinea), Chaitén (Chile), Dukono (Indonesia), Karangetang [Api Siau] (Indonesia), Karymsky (Russia), Kilauea (Hawaii, USA), Kliuchevskoi (Russia), Nevado del Huila (Colombia), Pacaya (Guatemala), Sakura-jima (Japan), Shiveluch (Russia), Suwanose-jima (Japan) | Tungurahua (Ecuador).

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Alert level raised at Llaima (updated) 16 February 2010

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The alert level for Llaima volcano in Chile has been raised to Yellow, level III (the second-highest level). The English-language Santiago Times is reporting that steam and gas emissions have been seen at the summit: the volcano ‘could be set to erupt, experts say’. However the Chilean state emergencies office ONEMI describes this as a preventive alert and says that there are no signs that an eruption is imminent.

The most recent SERNAGEOMIN bulletin for Llaima, released on 11 February 2010 and covering 20 January to 9 February, reports that ’emissions of water vapour and occasional slight emission of gases from the principal crater’ were observed during that period, reflecting normal degassing, but that the volcano’s seismic activity indicates a possible increase in activity in the near future:

Although this release of gases is in a ‘passive’ manner through permeable areas of the crater, continuing to balance the pressure conditions, the oscillating character of the seismic activity, the occurrence of qualitatively different tremor signals, as well as VT [volcanic-tectonic] earthquakes with epicentres within the volcanic edifice recorded during the period of this bulletin, indicate an intense fluid activity within the volcano’s conduits, which along with the fact that the principal crater remains partially obstructed, indicates that the volanic system may be approaching a state of disequilibrium.

… hence the increase in alert level. The OVDAS webcam monitoring Llaima from Cherquenco (giving a close-up view of the summit) shows some steam emissions within the crater – below is a capture from 12:50 UTC today. All four Llaima webcams can be accessed from the OVDAS front page.

Llaima volcano 16 February 2010 (OVDAS Cherquenco webcam)

For all our Llaima coverage: Llaima « The Volcanism Blog.

News
Decretan alerta amarilla en el Llaima y restringen acceso al volcán – El Mercurio, 15 February 2010
Declaran alerta roja en volcán chileno – La Crónica de Hoy, 15 February 2010
Sernageomin eleva nivel de Alerta Amarilla del volcán Llaima – La Tercera, 15 February 2010
Steam seen from Llaima volcano – Santiago Times, 16 February 2010

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 20-26 January 2010 28 January 2010

Posted by admin in activity reports, Barren Island, Batu Tara, Caribbean, Chaitén, Chile, Ecuador, eruptions, Fuego, Gaua, Guatemala, Hawaii, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Japan, Kamchatka, Karymsky, Kilauea, Kliuchevskoi, Llaima, Pacific, Russia, Sakura-jima, Santa María, Shiveluch, Soufrière Hills, Suwanose-jima, Tungurahua, United States, Vanuatu, Weekly Volcanic Activity Reports.
Tags: Global Volcanism Program, volcanic activity reports, volcanic eruptions
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Some of the volcanic activity headlines this week:

Soufrière Hills: cycles of vigorous activity – ash venting, rockfalls, pyroclastic flows
Tungurahua: explosions, loud roars and rumbles, frequent ashfall
Kliuchevskoi: strombolian activity, phreatic explosions producing plumes up to 8 km a.s.l.

Click on the map for a larger version (1280 x 898 pixels).

The Smithsonian Institution/United States Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 20-26 January 2010 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: Soufrière Hills (Montserrat), Tungurahua (Ecuador).

Ongoing activity: Barren Island (India), Batu Tara (Indonesia), Chaitén (Chile), Fuego (Guatemala), Gaua (Vanuatu), Karymsky (Russia), Kilauea (Hawaii, USA), Kliuchevskoi (Russia), Llaima (Chile), Sakura-jima (Japan), Santa María (Guatemala), Shiveluch (Russia), Suwanose-jima (Japan).

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Llaima and Villarrica webcams 13 January 2010

Posted by admin in Chile, Llaima, Villarrica.
Tags: Chile, Llaima, Villarrica, volcano webcams
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This information comes courtesy of Boris Behncke, who writes in a comment on this blog that links to a number of new webcams have appeared on the main page of the Chilean SERNAGEOMIN OVDAS website giving views of Llaima and Villarrica volcanoes. The webcams, which do not all work all the time, are as follows:

Many thanks to Boris for this information, which I had completely missed (like Boris, I never visit the OVDAS homepage if I can avoid it, as it’s such a horrible headache-inducing mess).

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 2-8 December 2009 10 December 2009

Posted by admin in activity reports, Ambrym, Caribbean, Chaitén, Chile, Colima, Dukono, eruptions, Fuego, Guatemala, Hawaii, Indonesia, Japan, Kamchatka, Karymsky, Kilauea, Kliuchevskoi, Llaima, Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Rabaul, Russia, Sakura-jima, San Cristóbal, Shiveluch, Soufrière Hills, Suwanose-jima, United States, Vanuatu, 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 2-8 December 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: Llaima (Chile).

Ongoing activity: Ambrym (Vanuatu), Chaitén (Chile), Colima (Mexico), Dukono (Indonesia), Fuego (Guatemala), Karymsky (Russia), Kilauea (Hawaii, USA), Kliuchevskoi (Russia), Rabaul (Papua New Guinea), Sakura-jima (Japan), San Cristóbal (Nicaragua), Shiveluch (Russia), Soufrière Hills (Montserrat), Suwanose-jima (Japan).

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Llaima update, 8 December 2009 8 December 2009

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Tags: Chile, Llaima, South America, volcanic activity reports
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In Chile the state emergencies office ONEMI has issued a new bulletin on the situation at Llaima volcano, which has been on Yellow Alert since 5 December, reporting observations made by OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN.

Seismicity at Llaima remains unstable ‘with events associated with fluid movements and processes of degasification’, and that numerous fumaroles have been visible when the weather has permitted direct observation.

Low concentrations of sulphur dioxide measured on 5 and 6 December indicate that the main crater remains obstructed. An overflight on 4 December also confirmed the blockage of the crater; fumarolic activity from fissures, mainly of white steam with some blue sulphur dioxide emissions, was observed on the north-east flank of the volcano and the interior north and exterior east and west walls of the crater. The largest fissure, and the seat of the greatest activity, was that situated on the north-east flank of the volcano which was the location of gas and ash emissions during April and June 2009.

Based on these observations ONEMI warns that new eruptive activity cannot be ruled out. Yellow Alert applies to Llaima and the districts of Melipeuco, Vilcún, Curacautín, Cunco and Lonquimay, and the 4-kilometre radius exclusion zone around the volcano remains in force.

The bulletin also announces that from today monitoring of Llaima is to be strengthened with several new broadband seismological stations, and three SERNAGEOMIN fieldwork teams are to be despatched to the area.

For all our Llaima coverage: Llaima « The Volcanism Blog.

Llaima update, 7 December 2009 7 December 2009

Posted by admin in activity reports, Chile, Llaima.
Tags: Chile, Llaima, South America, volcanic activity reports
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Some more information on activity at Llaima volcano in Chile, which is currently on Yellow Alert.

Chilean state emergencies office ONEMI has issued a new bulletin, reporting that ‘a seismic swarm associated with internal degasification’ and marked by ‘increased release of the volcano’s internal energy’ was detected at Llaima between 16:00 and 18:00 local time on 6 December. Fumarolic activity has been continuing, and the main crater remains obstructed. ONEMI is maintaining Yellow Alert for Llaima and surrounding communities, and the 4-kilometre radius exclusion zone remains in force.

Llaima volcano, 18 November 2009 (OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN)
Above: Webcam image of Llaima volcano viewed from Cherquenco on 18 November 2009 (OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN). [source]

The state geological service SERNAGEOMIN have also published a new Llaima bulletin on their web site today, which notes that fumarolic activity and volcanic gas emissions were observed during the period 14 November to 1 December when weather permitted, and contains the following information about recent changes in the volcano’s seismic activity:

Regarding the seismicity associated with Llaima volcano, it has been marked by the occurrence of a new type of LP [long period] event, of low frequency (less than 3.0 Hz), characterized by a spindle-shaped envelope with a higher amplitude (energy) than the other types of LP seismicity and a duration in some cases of up to 4 minutes. A continuing decline in the numbers of the other three types of LP earthquakes was observed, with an average 5 earthquakes per hour being registered, of which two to three correspond to this new type of event. The background tremor kept its characteristics of amplitude and spectral content.

The foregoing (the changes in the types of seismic events, which appear to be generated by different mechanisms) implies a greater complexity in the internal dynamics of the volcano. In addition, the main crater remains blocked, so the likelihood of a possible volcanic reactivation is greater than in previous months.

Yellow Alert, notes the bulletin, indicates that ‘eruptive activity may occur within weeks or months’.

For all our Llaima coverage: Llaima « The Volcanism Blog.