“Despite being one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, Bagana is poorly monitored. Located on the mountainous spine of Bouganville Island, it is both far from any cities or large towns and hard to reach due to the rough terrain. [...] Satellites provide the most reliable way to watch this activity. [...] This natural-color image reveals a fresh lava flow on Bagana’s eastern flank. Imagery from Landsat 7 shows that the flow was established some time between March 2011 and February 2012.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
A submarine volcanic eruption at Monowai Seamount added 8.75 million cubic meters of rock in just five days. The volcano is located in the Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand at the southern end of the Tonga Ridge near Kermadec volcanoes.
“A new study, funded by the National Science Foundation, shows that the residents of [the Sumatra] region are at risk from yet another potentially deadly natural phenomenon – major volcanic eruptions.” Quoted from the Oregon State press release.
An article on the MSNBC website explores the possible threats presented by activity at Mexico’s Popocatepetl Volcano. At the top of the list are lahars, speedy flows of water, mud, ash, rocks, plants and other debris that flow down the flanks of the volcano.
“Five years of Mars Express gravity mapping data are providing unique insights into what lies beneath the Red Planet’s largest volcanoes. The results show that the lava grew denser over time and that the thickness of the planet’s rigid outer layers varies across the Tharsis region.” Quoted from the ESA press release.
Large volcanic eruptions in the sparsely-populated areas of the world attract little attention but small eruptions near centers of population can have enormous impacts.
Erik Klemetti, author of the Eruptions Blog, does not like the earthquake and volcanic eruption predictions that he has been seeing on the internet and explains why.
Jessica Ball has a blog post that explores the origin of some of the most commonly used words in volcanology – with some great photos too! How did we get interesting words like: lahar, caldera, ignimbrite, tephra, scoria, tuff?
Erik Klemetti is following the current activity at Mexico’s Popocatépetl Volcano. It is producing explosions, numerous steam / ash plumes and presents significant hazards in a major eruption.
“Satellites are finding that volcanoes previously thought to be dormant are showing signs of unrest.” Quoted from the European Space Agency press release.
Rick Steve, a popular travel host, has an article titled “Exploring Pompeii, one of Italy’s top attractions” in the Seattle Times. It is a tourist presentation, if you are looking for information about geology see Jessica Ball‘s article on Vesuvius.
A process known as hydro-shearing is being used to develop a geothermal resource near Newberry Crater. The process involved pumping large volumes of water into subsurface rock units with the goal of widening existing fractures. This contrasts with hydraulic fracturing which is done using higher pressures with a goal of creating new fractures.
Two years ago, Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano in Iceland erupted, forcing the closure of airports and cancellation of flights throughout much of western Europe. This year Katla Caldera is showing signs of a potential eruption.
“On April 10, 1815, Tambora Volcano produced the largest eruption in recorded history. [...] Enough ash was put into the atmosphere from the April 10 eruption to reduce incident sunlight on the Earth’s surface, causing global cooling, which resulted in the 1816 “year without a summer.” Quote from a NASA Earth Observatory press release.
“Two new studies into the “plumbing systems” that lie under volcanoes could bring scientists closer to predicting large eruptions.” Quoted from the University of Leeds press release.
The Colombian geological survey has increased the eruption alert for Nevado del Ruiz to Orange. In 1985, lahars from an eruption at Nevado del Ruiz killed an estimated 25,000 people.
Following his look back at the 1982 eruption at El Chichón volcano in Mexico, Erik Klemetti has a new blog post titled: “What the Future May Hold for El Chichón”.
Droughts and Volcanic eruptions are both reflected in the tree rings of Guatemala. Read a series of blog posts by Kevin Anchukaitis, an assistant research professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University.
Erik Klemetti comments on a small volcanic eruption in Mexico that occurred at about the same time as the Oaxaca Earthquake. Many people speculate that the two events are related.
A group of scientists has produced the first global geologic map of Jupiter’s Moon, Io. “The map illustrates the geologic character of some of the most unique and active volcanoes ever documented in the solar system.” Quote from the USGS press release.
“While there are no active volcanoes in Arizona, there are volcanic fields capable of producing new volcanic activity.” Arizona Experience has an interactive map of volcanic fields.
The Alaska Dispatch has a very nice article that describes some of Alaska’s biggest volcanic eruptions. Featured is Novarupta – the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century and possibly the fifth most powerful in recorded history.
“After decades of little activity, a series of earthquakes and deformation began within the Santorini caldera in January of 2011. Since then, our instruments on the northern part of the island have moved laterally between five and nine centimeters. The volcano’s magma chamber is filling, and we are keeping a close eye on its activity.” Quoted from a Georgia Tech press release.
Erik Klemetti reports on “Increasing Volcanic Unrest Observed at Nevado del Ruiz in Columbia” the volcano that produced a lahar in 1985 that killed over 20,000 people.
“The morning of June 6th arrived on the Alaska peninsula to find the area which is now Katmai National Monument being shaken by numerous strong, shallow earthquakes. The most powerful volcanic eruption of the 20th Century was about to begin – but very few people knew about it. ”
“Volcanic activity in the Zubair Island Group appears to have ceased. On December 19, 2011, satellites detected sulfur dioxide and a small volcanic plume in the area, and by December 23 a new island had formed in the Red Sea. The island continued to grow in early January, but stopped by January 15th.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
“Dark volcanic debris mars the otherwise pristine lower flanks of Shiveluch Volcano in this false-color satellite image. The debris traveled about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Shiveluch’s growing lava dome. Rock falls and pyroclastic flows (avalanches of hot volcanic material) are common at Shiveluch, due to the steep sides and unstable rock of the growing dome.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.
The United States Geological Survey has an “Education Resources” area on their website that can be used by teachers and students to find information about biology, geology. geography, water and more.
For the past twenty years the ground has been rising at a rate of about 1/2 inch per year at Bolivia’s Uturuncu Volcano. Uturuncu has the potential of producing enormous eruptions but experts do not believe that the current inflation is a warning signal.
In northern China, researchers have found a fossilcoal swamp that was quickly buried and preserved by a fall of volcanic ash approximately 300 million years ago.
William Fritz and Robert Thomas have completed a second edition of the popular Roadside Geology of Yellowstone Country. This 6″x9″ paperback has 311 pages that are packed with detailed information about Yellowstone Geology.
“Following apparent explosive activity and a resultant small ash cloud Saturday, February 18, AVO elevated the Aviation Color Code to YELLOW and the Volcano Alert Level to ADVISORY. Volcanic tremor had been detected on the local seismic network at Kanaga early that morning, followed by numerous small events for about an hour. ”
Kanaga Volcano issuing a steam plume. Also visible is what appears to be two dark stripes extending down the flank (ash and/or flowage deposits?) Image by Majorie Tillion, USGS
“It remains possible for intermittent, sudden explosions of blocks and ash to occur at any time, and ash clouds exceeding 20,000 feet above sea level may develop. Such explosions and their associated ash clouds may go undetected in satellite imagery for hours. If a large, explosive, ash-producing event occurs, seismic, infrasound, or volcanic lightning may be detected by local and regional monitoring networks. There is no real-time seismic monitoring network on Mount Cleveland.” Quoted from the AlaskaVolcano Observatory.
“In 1986 Lake Nyos, in the volcanic region of Cameroon, suddenly released a cloud of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, killing 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock in nearby towns and villages. [...] But since then, to prevent Lake Nyos from exploding again, an international team of scientists and engineers has developed and implemented a program to artificially remove gas from the lake through piping.” Quoted from the USGS press release.
“Four months after it began, the underwater volcanic eruption off El Hierro Island persists [...] measurements of the sea floor by the Instituto Oceanográfico Español showed that the volcano’s summit is now only 120 meters beneath the ocean surface—10 meters higher than it was in mid January.
“More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 76 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the last 10,000 years. … Sooner or later, volcanoes in California will erupt again, and they could have serious impacts on the health and safety of the State’s citizens as well as on its economy.” Quoted from the USGS press release.
“Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, according to climate researchers, who compared tree-ring temperature reconstructions with model simulations of past temperature changes.”
“Now, we have a study in Nature that discusses the magmatic events that led up to the Minoan eruption at Santorini — a fairly timely topic considering the rumblings there — that has gotten the media’s attention.” Quoted from the Eruptions Blog.
Recent research on Ubehebe Crater of California’s Death Valley reveals that it last erupted about 800 years ago instead of the previously-believed date of several thousand years ago. Erik Klementti comments on this new date.
“Eight months of ceaseless activity have covered the landscape around Chile’s Puyehue Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex in ash. The light-colored ash appears most clearly on the rocky, alpine slopes surrounding the active vent and Puyehue’s 2,236 meter (7,336 foot)-tall caldera.” Quote from the Earth Observatory image release.
“Shown here are two natural-color views: a close-up of the Kilauea Caldera and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and a wide-area view showing Mauna Ulu and Pu’u ’O’o. Within the Kilauea Caldera lies Halema’uma’u Crater. A small plume of water vapor emerges from this crater and blows toward the southwest.” Quoted from the NASA image release.
“More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 76 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the last 10,000 yr. Past volcanic activity has ranged in scale and type from small rhyolitic and basaltic eruptions through large catastrophic rhyolitic eruptions.” Quoted from the USGS report.
“Decision-support systems can be used to help synthesize, visualize, and analyze the natural-science and socioeconomic information needed for making risk-reduction and land-use choices.”
USGS has recently published: “The Story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — A Remarkable First 100 Years of Tracking Eruptions and Earthquakes“
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