SI/USGS Weekly Volcano Activity Report for 7/15-21/2009

Your volcano news!

Thanks, as always, to the USGS/SI Global Volcanism Program.

Highlights include:

  • The alert level at Sakurajima was raised from 2 to 3 by the Japanese Meteorological Agency. This was due to the increasing frequency of explosions at the volcano, some of which produced ash plumes up to 1.8-2.7 km / 6-9,000 feet.
  • Ash was reported up to 3 km away from Ibu in Indonesia. However, officials in Indonesia lowered the alert from 3 to 2, but tourists are still restricted from going with 2 km of the volcano.
  • Lots of activity at Shiveluch in Kamchatka. You can see some of the activity in an image recently released by the NASA Earth Observatory. Overall, a new dome continues to be extruded, with accompanying steam-and-ash plumes reaching as high as ~6.5 km / 21,000 feet.
  • The alert levels at both Egon and Makian in Indonesia were lowered to 1 (lowest).

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I haven't had the time to research the implications of this discovery. It appears that there has been indications of volcanic activity within the last two million years in the Labrador Sea near Greenland.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090722100505.htm

My knowledge of the geography of the area is weak - and I am uncertain about whether this area has had earthquakes recently.

If anyone else has any thoughts on this discovery of volcanic activity near on the eastern side of North America I'd be interested to hear it. Of course this volcanic activity is much less frequent than what happens around the ring of fire.

By Thomas Donlon (not verified) on 26 Jul 2009 #permalink