There is increasing volcanic activity worldwide, with new activity in two volcanoes - Lopevi and Veniaminof - and notable continuing activity in about a dozen volcanoes worldwide . Lopevi is located inVannatu in the Southwest Pacific and Veniaminof in the Alaskan Peninsula. Excerpts from the SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report farther below. Many volcanoes have Orange or Yellow status. There is an early warning and orange alert for Anak Krakatau and Lokon, in Indonesia.A little over a week ago, in Sumatra: White plumes from Kerinci rose to 13,500-14,100 ft 14-18 February, while a few days later, OL DOINYO LENGAI Tanzania put out a plume of 60,000 ft. Ol Doinyo lengai is a prominent volcano known as “The Mountain of God”. The continuing activity - noteworthy this past week - was in locations such as the central and SW Pacific, Hawaii, Indonesia,Tanzania Africa, Mexico, South America, Russia, the US and France. Many of these ongoing volcanoes had yellow or orange alerts. In the US Yellowstone has cooled down for now.
Note: Link for some abbreviations: http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/index.cfm?content=acr onyms
http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/
SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
Smithsonian USGS
20 February-26 February 2008
NEW ACTIVITY/UNREST : LOPEVI and VENIAMINOF
LOPEVI Vanuatu (SW Pacific) 16.507°S, 168.346°E; summit elev. 1413 m
Based on a pilot report, the Wellington VAAC reported that an ash plume from Lopevi rose to an
altitude of below 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. on 24 February 2008.VENIAMINOF Alaska Peninsula 56.17°N, 159.38°W; summit elev. 2507 m
AVO reported that on 22 February several minor ash bursts from Veniaminof were recorded by the seismic network and observed on web camera footage.
…….Sporadic increases in seismic activity were noted since 11 February, including tremor episodes that lasted 1-2 minutes and occurred several times per hour. The Aviation color code was raised to Yellow and the Alert Level was raised to Advisory.
Steam plumes emitted from the intra-caldera cinder cone were seen on video footage during 23-25 February and seismic levels were elevated during 23-26 February.
ONGOING ACTIVITY ANATAHAN Mariana Islands (Central Pacific) 16.35°N, 145.67°E; summit elev. 790 m
The USGS reported that emissions of sulfur dioxide from Anatahan were detected by the satellite-based Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) during 20-25 February. Seismicity was elevated during 20-26 February, though levels varied greatly during 23-25 February. The Washington VAAC reported that plumes possibly containing some ash were visible on satellite imagery drifting WSW, SW, E, W, and SE during 20 and 23-24 February. A Volcanic Haze Advisory … was issued and later lifted. The Volcanic Alert Level remained at Watch and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.CLEVELAND Chuginadak Island 52.825°N, 169.944°W; summit elev. 1730 m
AVO reported that a low-level ash plume from Cleveland was visible on satellite imagery and drifted about 300 km SE on 22 February. The Volcanic Alert Level remained at Advisory and the Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow.KERINCI Sumatra (Indonesia) 1.697°S, 101.264°E; summit elev. 3800 m
CVGHM reported that white plumes from Kerinci rose to altitudes of 4.1-4.3 km (13,500-14,100 ft) a.s.l. during 14-18 February. The Alert Status remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4). Residents and visitors were advised not to enter an area within 1 km of the summit.
KILAUEA Hawaii (USA) 19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m
Based on observations during overflights, and web camera views when weather permitted, HVO reported that during 20-26 February activity from Kilauea’s fissure segment D was concentrated at the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout (TEB) shield and satellitic shields to the E and SE. A lava flow from the shields traveled E towards Kalalua. During 25-26 February, lava flows advanced through the subdivision. ………………..
LLAIMA Central Chile 38.692°S, 71.729°W; summit elev. 3125 m
SERNAGEOMIN - Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (Chile)
- reported that weak steam plumes were observed from Llaima’s main crater on 20 February. The ‘a’a lava flow that traveled 2.5 km during 2-13 February varied in width between 30-40 m and was 10 m thick. On 21 February small ash plumes rose from the E and SE flanks. Pyroclastic flows descended the E flank and possibly down the W flank. ………
The above website lists further data on these active volcanoes: POPOCATEPETL México
RABAUL New Britain (SW Pacific), SHIVELUCH Central Kamchatka (Russia.) SOUFRIERE HILLS Montserrat France, MOUNT ST. HELENS Washington (USA) TUNGURAHUA (Ecuador) and UBINAS (Peru)
Additional Reports of Volcanic Activity by Country
The following sites have updated activity reports on volcanoes in addition to those that meet the criteria for inclusion in the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report. Ecuador http://www.igepn.edu.ec/ Indonesia http://portal.vsi.esdm.go.id/joomla/
Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 February 2008 )Japan (Barb’s Note: Last data on this site listed March 2007.)http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/update.html Link on this page to most recent updates for US volcanoes. .
