Chile GEOS View of volcano Puyehue
Looks Like Volcano Time
OK, we had the “Super Moon”, then it got all quiet on the earthquake front. After a bit of a pause, Grimsvotn in Iceland blew off a bit. Now a couple of more are chiming in. (Not counting the dozen or so that are either always making some rumble or have been sporadically active for “a while”…)
Some Volcano Links
Stanford:
http://pangea.stanford.edu/~dsinnett/Pages/Links.html has a nice collection of links to volcano monitor pages. Just click the pictures for the different volcano observatories.
The Smithsonian page:
http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/
The Volcanism Blog:
http://volcanism.wordpress.com/
From the Smithsonian site, we have (updated on Wednesdays, so now about 4 days out of date):
New Activity/Unrest: | Aso, Kyushu | Dieng Volcanic Complex, Central Java (Indonesia) | Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Popocatépetl, México | Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, Central Chile | Yasur, Vanuatu (SW Pacific)
I make that 6 that were “new” as of almost a week ago, and more since then…
In the “ongoing” bucket they have:
Ongoing Activity: | Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Dukono, Halmahera | Karangetang [Api Siau], Siau I | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Rabaul, New Britain | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Villarrica, Central Chile
A nice “10”…
OK, the “biggie” right now looks like the one in Chile “Puyehue Cordon Caulle”:
http://volcanism.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/puyehue-cordon-caulle-update-12-june-2011/
Posted by admin in activity reports, Chile, eruptions, Puyehue.
The Chilean Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) has issued its latest bulletin on the activity at Puyehue-Cordón Caulle: Reporte Especial de Actividad Volcánica No 36, 11 June 2011 (the PDF has not been posted yet). Overall the eruption shows no sign of coming to an end: the key word in this bulletin, as the preceding ones, is ‘stability’, although SERNAGEOMIN emphasizes that the behaviour of the volcano may change and the intensity of the eruption increase at any time. There is continuing ashfall and a high risk of lahars.
Seismic activity at Cordón Caulle ‘showed no major changes compared with yesterday’, with an average of 5 events per hour, with magnitudes not exceeding 2.3. The earthquakes have been located to the area SE of Cordón Caulle, the majority at depths of between 3 and 5 km.
The ‘continuous signal of tremor’ observed since the beginning of the eruption is continuing in a stable manner, associated with degasification and the movement of material towards the surface.
The eruption plume ‘has shown an oscillating pattern with respect to its altitude’, reaching a height of approximately 4.0-4.5 km in the morning of 11 June and trending towards the east. The plume has shown a ‘slightly whiter’ colouring than on previous days.
[…]
The alert level for Puyehue-Cordón Caulle remains Red 6, ‘moderate eruption’.
I saw a “crawler” on one of the TV news shows (Fox? CNN? I forget…) which said ash was falling in both the capital of Uruguay and the capital of Argentina at the same time.
The Chile Forum has a couple of nice aerial shots of the place, along with travel advisories:
http://www.allchile.net/chileforum/topic6111.html
The Chile Ministry of the Interior and Public Safety site is here:
For those wishing fast, but Spanish language updates, they have notices such as these:
13-06-2011 Sismo de mediana intensidad en las regiones de Coquimbo, Metropolitana, Valparaíso, OHiggins, El Maule
Un sismo de menor intensidad se percibió a las 1:21 horas enlas regiones de Coquimbo, Metropolitana, OHiggins y El Maule. Las intensidades en la escala de Mercalli son…12-06-2011 Sismo de menor intensidad en las regiones de Tarapacá y Antofagasta
Un sismo de menor intensidad se percibió a las 19:26 horas en la región de Tarapacá. Las intensidades en la escala de Mercalli son las siguientes: Región de TarapacáAlto Hospicio,…12-06-2011 SERNAGEOMIN levanta condición de evacuación en algunas localidades de Región de Los Ríos y Región de Los Lagos
Permanecen en condición de evacuación en la Región de Los Ríos, los sectores de la comuna de Lago Ranco y en la Región de los Lagos…
Basically, they say minor seismic activity in several places. Some regions are being evacuated, such as The Rivers and The Lakes.
The impression I get as that they think this is going to continue for a while, and maybe get worse.
Mexico
Not to be shoved too far out of the news, Mexico has an eruption at Popcatepetl (toward the south) as well. This link has nice pictures:
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_america/mexico/popocatepetl.html
The Smithsonian page notes:
CENAPRED reported that during 31 May-1 June steam-and-gas emissions from Popocatépetl occasionally contained small amounts of ash. At 0637 on 3 June an ash plume rose 3 km above the crater following seismic tremor. The lower-altitude portion of the plume drifted W (towards the state of Morelos) and the higher-altitude portion of the plume drifted ENE (over Puebla, 40 km E). Within a few hours ashfall was reported in the Morelos state, municipalities of Tetela del Volcán (20 km SW), Zacualpan (31 km SW), Jonacatepec (43 km SW), and Axochiapan (60 km SSW). At 2112 high-frequency, low-amplitude tremor was detected that was followed by an ash plume at 2116 that rose 1 km above the crater and drifted W. By 2130 activity had returned to normal levels. On 4 June an ash plume rose 1 km above the crater and drifted SSW at lower altitudes and NE at higher altitudes.
Geologic Summary. Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking mountain, towers to 5,426 m 70 km SE of Mexico City and is North America’s second-highest volcano. Frequent historical eruptions have been recorded since the beginning of the Spanish colonial era. A small eruption on 21 December 1994 ended five decades of quiescence. Since 1996 small lava domes have incrementally been constructed within the summit crater and destroyed by explosive eruptions. Intermittent small-to-moderate gas-and-ash eruptions have continued, occasionally producing ashfall in neighboring towns and villages.
Gee… quite for 50 years, then active. Where have I seen “60 years” before… ;-)
The Mexican National Center For The Prevention of Disasters has more info:
http://www.cenapred.unam.mx/es/
http://www.cenapred.unam.mx/cgi-bin/popo/reportes/ultrep.cgi
Jun 12 11:00(16:00 GMT)
En las últimas 24 horas se registró únicamente 1 pequeña exhalación, acompañada por vapor de agua y gas. Los demás parámetros de monitoreo se mantienen sin cambios importantes. Desde hoy por la mañana se ha podido observar al volcán con poca actividad fumarólica (imagen).
El semáforo de alerta volcánica continúa en AMARILLO fase 2. Se mantiene la probabilidad de los siguientes escenarios: exhalaciones moderadas, algunas con emisiones de ceniza; esporádicas explosiones de nivel bajo a moderado con probabilidad de emisión de fragmentos incandescentes a corta distancia del cráter y leve incandescencia en el cráter del volcán observable durante la noche.
Recomendaciones:
1. Continuar con el radio de seguridad de 12 km, por lo que la permanencia en esa área no está permitida.
2. Mantener el tránsito controlado entre Santiago Xalitzintla y San Pedro Nexapa, vía Paso de Cortés.
3. A las autoridades de Protección Civil, mantener sus procedimientos preventivos, de acuerdo con sus planes operativos.
4. A la población, estar atenta a la información oficial que se difunda.
Some minor gas and water vapor, maintain a 12 km security radius, it is “Yellow phase 2” condition as something more could happen and there are still signs of activity in the crater. (As a rough ‘free summary translation’).
OK, h/t to George and R. de Haan in tips, where they have been discussing this for “a while” as I was working on some promised financial postings…
Eruption of possibly Mallahle volcano, Eritrea region of Ethiopia.
IR plume can be seen on the left side of this:
http://www.sat24.com/zoomloop.aspx?ir=true®ion=af&lat=16&lon=46
Considering the size of the earthquakes accompanying the eruption, it might be pretty large.
From comments on Erik Klemetti’s blog.
While R. de Han added:
R. de Haan
More info about the Rift Valley Eritrea eruption.
Pieter De Leeuw (Netherlands) has traced the eruption as probably coming from the Nabro volcano, a crater with a diameter of 8 km. We agree with him. Nabro volcano has no records of recent eruptions.
http://earthquake-report.com/2011/06/12/unusual-series-of-moderate-volcanic-earthquakes-in-eritrea-and-ethiopia/
Taking a look at the USGS quake map for the area finds a nice sized quake:
Eritria Area Quake Map
Magnitude 5.7 – ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
2011 June 12 21:03:23 UTCThis event has been reviewed by a seismologist.Magnitude 5.7
Date-Time Sunday, June 12, 2011 at 21:03:23 UTC
Monday, June 13, 2011 at 12:03:23 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 13.530°N, 41.625°E
Depth 9.9 km (6.2 miles)
Region ERITREA – ETHIOPIA REGION
Distances 133 km (82 miles) WNW of Assab, Eritrea
200 km (124 miles) SW of Al Hudaydah, Yemen
233 km (144 miles) E of Mekele, Ethiopia
353 km (219 miles) SE of ASMARA, Eritrea
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 17.1 km (10.6 miles); depth +/- 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Parameters NST=113, Nph=114, Dmin=320.6 km, Rmss=0.88 sec, Gp= 72°,
M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=6
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID usc00045xc
Australia / New Zealand
This is a map of the Australia / Indonesia / New Zealand area:
Australia / Indonesia / New Zealand Quake Map
Original with clickable regions to zoom in
I note in passing that a 6.0 happened near Christchurch New Zealand, also a place more or less on top of a volcano:
Magnitude 6.0 – SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
2011 June 13 02:20:50 UTCThis event has been reviewed by a seismologist.Magnitude 6.0
Date-Time Monday, June 13, 2011 at 02:20:50 UTC
Monday, June 13, 2011 at 02:20:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 43.580°S, 172.740°E
Depth 9 km (5.6 miles)
Region SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
Distances 13 km (8 miles) NNE of Christchurch, New Zealand
207 km (128 miles) SSE of Westport, New Zealand
292 km (181 miles) SW of WELLINGTON, New Zealand
323 km (200 miles) NNE of Dunedin, New Zealand
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 13.9 km (8.6 miles); depth +/- 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Parameters NST= 74, Nph= 74, Dmin=17.8 km, Rmss=1.4 sec, Gp= 86°,
M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7
Source Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Event ID usc000466f
One can only hope that this is an “aftershock” of the recent large quake and NOT the start of “something new”…
From Russia, with Smoke
Also, in Russia, R. de Haan noted:
R. de Haan
About the current Kizimen eruption
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php
There is a nice photo gallery of the May activity here:
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/kzm/index.html with descriptive text in Russian.
I found those at this page, that looks to have a lot of links to other histories and photos:
http://geology.com/news/2011/kizimen-volcano-eruption-photos.shtml
The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team says:
VOLCANO: KIZIMEN (1000-23)
Current AVIATION COLOR CODE: RED
Source: KVERT
Notice Number: 35-11
Volcano Location: 55°08’N, 160°19’E;
Area: Kamchatka, Russia
Summit Elevation: 8151 ft (2485 m)Prognosis Volcanic Activity: Seismic and explosive activity of the volcano continues. Strong ash explosions up to 49,200-32,800 ft (15-10 km) ASL could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.
Volcanic Activity Summary: Seismic activity of the volcano was changing during June 12-13. Although a magnitude of volcanic tremor in the area of Kizimen decreased from 04:52 UTC on June 12, and later additional sharp decreased from 08:45 UTC on June 12, ash plumes continued to detected on satellite images during June 12-13. According to satellite data, an ash plume extending about 470 mi (760 km) to the east from the volcano was noted at 04:08 UTC on June 13 (20110613/0408Z). According to the seismic and satellite interpretation, a height of ash plumes do not exceed 19,352 ft. A bright thermal anomaly continues to registering over the volcano.
According to seismic data, a magnitude of volcanic tremor in the area of Kizimen began increases again from 04:00 UTC on June 13.Volcanic cloud height: up to 19,352 ft (according to seismic or satellite interpretation)
Other volcanic cloud information: an ash plume extending to the east from the volcano > 470 mi on this time
Remarks: History of Kizimen eruptions is unknown. We have incomplete data about only one eruption in 1928-1929 which were likely moderate explosive (or explosive-effusive) events. Tephrachronological data point out several catastrophic eruptions in evolution of this volcano.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/current/kzm/index.html
OK, looks to me like “Stuff Happens” and some of it is “happening now”…
From here on down, I’m just going to leave the usual quake maps so folks can see what’s going on.
Asia and Russia
Asia Quake Map
Original Image with clickable areas
Southern Hemisphere
A view of Earthquakes from the South Pole
Original Image with Clickable Details
Northern Hemisphere
North Polar Earthquake Map
Original Image with Clickable Details
Japan
While we don’t want to forget about Japan, it has very much quieted down. So just one panel. If you want more detail, see:
https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/quakes-japan-upgraded-to-9-0/
Quakes, Japan close up, More North
South America
Here is a “live view” of South America so you can watch anything “new” that develops there:
Southern South America Hemispheric View
South America with “clickable” areas for more details.
North America
North America and Mid Atlantic Ridge Quake Map
Original with clickable details
And remember, I have a dedicated CSZ page with closeups
California Map
Action Closer to Me
The one annoying thing on the California map is the way all the “Action” is taking the line up the Hayward / Calaveras side. That’s “not good” for the East Bay… It is “due”… With 424 total quakes on this map as I type, it’s a bit active all over California again.
As I live in California, it makes it easier for me if I keep them in the list where I can see what’s shaking near me.
Current quake map in California
Original Image, with captions and description. The original is interactive with clickable regions for ‘close ups’.
Here is an alternative view of things with the fault lines highlighted:
California Quakes with fault lines
Iceland
Also from R. de Haan in tips was a link to this nice page about Icelandic Volcanoes that sees some harmonic tremor at Katla.
http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/?p=1052
Though I didn’t find much beyond that at the Iceland Met Office. Main page: English or Icelandic.
You can click on particular spots on the map at this link and see the tremor being recorded:
http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/englishweb/tremor.html
From mousing around there, it looks like most of the boxes are blank, but several have some readings. I don’t know particularly what importance to attach to that…
In Conclusion
Looks like “interesting times”… I hope it just doesn’t get TOO interesting ;-)
Musings from the Chiefio 
Have a look this picture from space of the Rift Valley Nabro Eruption.
The Ash plume has penetrated the stratosphere and now has reached Khartoum, over a thousand miles from the eruption.
This eruption is new territory as we have absolutely no historic data about the Nabro volcano.
In fact we knew more about Chaitén volcano than we know about Nabro.
As for the big picture:
From observation, historical records and witness reports we know the Little Ice Age and especially the Maunder and Dalton Minimum experienced low solar activity and compared to the past century a five times higher frequency of volcanic eruptions. Five VEI 5 eruptions per century were the norm.
With solar activity continuing down the slow lane since SC 24 took off: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/06/13/solar-activity-still-driving-in-the-slow-lane/
and an increase of seismic and volcanic activity since 2008, it looks as if we’re in for a treat as we wander into “Wild Card Territory”.
It is good to remember the words from Joe Bastardi when he said it’s not warming we shoud be worried about but warned us for the “Triple Crown of Cooling”. Our sun, cool ocean cycles and volcanic activity.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2009/12/11/accuweather-forecaster-climate-change-it-s-ice-not-fire-you-re-going-be-w
@R. de Haan:
Nice picture.
I think we are about to learn a whole lot more about the coupling between solar activity and volcanic activity. Unlike some folks, I’m willing to embrace the notion that they are linked, just based on a persistent pattern of coincident occurance over a few thousands of years…
Still just a tiny bit worried that Mount Lassen might “go”, though. It blew a tiny bit in 1914 and is still ‘warm’. There were minor ‘boulders’ near my old home town from it, and I’ve been waiting about 1/2 century for it to do something ;-)
I really wish there was some kind of “Global Volcanic Moment” index. Unfortunately, the idea that they are all independent is so ingrained that the analysis isn’t even done.
Oh, and I’d keep an eye on those Italian volcanos too…
The Christian Science Monitor has a nice “survey” article on the VEI-6 explosions of the last 300 years:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0418/Five-biggest-volcano-eruptions-in-recent-history
Always liked the Christian Science Monitor… Kind of a ‘flat affect’ but always true to the facts.
Looks like folks “Down Under” are having issues from the ash too:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-06-12/qantas-jetstar-cancel-88-flights-on-chile-volcanic-ash.html
So we’ve got Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and now Australia (that implies New Zealand as well) all having “issues” with flights from one volcano; and we’ve got what is likely a larger one about to do the same all over east Africa / middle east. Kamchatka is going to mess up some of the Asia / North America routes.
Looks to me like a Fine Mess for summer vacation flights…
Another ref. link, though it hasn’t listed anything, it’s probably dormant. But, just in case they ever wake up –
http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/modis/modisnew.cgi
Latest from Nabro:
From Irish Weather online:
http://www.irishweatheronline.com/news/earthquakesvolcanos/nabro-volcano-in-eritrea-erupts-ash-cloud-spreads/19983.html
From “Eruptions”, Erik Klemetti: http://bigthink.com/ideas/38858
In the mean time ash emissions from the Chili eruption are causing flight cancelations as far as Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. So a single eruption on the South American Continent has the potential to disrupt air traffic on another continent as far as 5000 km away.
Quite impressive if you ask me and bad news for airline stocks short term.
Israeli sources have warned for flight disruptions from Eilat heading for Egypt and Jordan
http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=224810
@ E.M,
The Italian volcano’s from Santorini to Mount Vesuvius, from ETNA and Stromboli to a number of recently found undersea volcano’s with ‘great potential” have my interest for many years.
Those volcano’s which show continuous eruptive activity like Mount Etna and Stromboli are the ones we should least worry about.
It’s hose with “plinian potential” like Mount Vesuvius and the unknown big ones found near Santorini and off the Italian coast that harbor the potential for big quakes, tsunami’s and large scale disruption, not even mentioning the unstable flank of the volcano at the Canary Island which has the potential to wipe the US East Coast from the map.
http://www.ct.ingv.it/
http://boris.vulcanoetna.com/
http://www.rense.com/general56/tsu.htm
However, after Chaitén and now the Nabro eruption in Eritrea, both totally unexpected events, I think it’s completely useless to focus our attention on any specific complex.
Naples population has grown despite the well known effects of a Mount Vesuvius eruption.
In fact most of the world population live in area’s that harbor imminent danger for tsunami’s, big quakes and eruptions.
Activity takes place all along the ring of fire and several hot spots like Hawaii and Iceland and if the increase will reach similar levels compared to the Maunder Minimum we will have our hands full.
Observation, early warning, general preparation for potential events and “run if you can” is all we have to fence of the worst of any event.
What remains is just a matter of luck to prevent a “wrong time, wrong place” scenario.
After the Koblenz quake in Germany a few months ago I know anything is possible.
Just keep your cool, don’t worry too much and live your life is my credo.
We can’t control these kind of events anyhow so worrying about them is just a waste of time.
For those of you interested in some background about the East African rift valley and the geological process that is taking place there have a read at this link:
http://geology.com/articles/east-africa-rift.shtml
A better, and active, link for volcanic SO2 info –
http://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/OMI/OMISO2/
From the amount of “red” (SO2) in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) at –
one might easily conclude that things are boiling under all that water down there. Anyone else think it might have to do with the onset of a deep, cold, and a rather volcanic, SH winter all thanks to Old ‘Sol’ O Mia?
Lufthansa cancels fights to Ethiopia and Eritrea
http://earthquake-report.com/2011/06/12/unusual-series-of-moderate-volcanic-earthquakes-in-eritrea-and-ethiopia/
Dramatic satellite pictures of the Ethiopian/Eritrean eruption
SO2 plume from Ethiopia eruption:
This a preview from a scientific research report about Nagra stuffed behind a pay wall.
Bit it provides some additional insights, at least interesting enough to post the link.
http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?code=jaf8w52xm8g2r3u9&size=largest
In the mean time Chaitén still steaming along
http://www.aipchile.cl/camara/show/id/14
Chili Eruption last night
And the day time action
Official Eritrean Statement on the Nabro eruption
Eruption in Eritrea May 1861
@R. de Haan:
You find some fo the most interesting videos and stuff…
“Reports indicated that the eruption that took place in 4 different areas around Afambo, Nebro and Sireru causing a 5.7 rector scale earth tremor.”
SO the “official announcement” has it venting in 4 different spots… One can only hope they don’t join up into one super sized spot…. (one of the proposed mechanisms for a supervolcano… multiple vents until gas pressure drops, then the whole caldera lid falls in and “WHOOSH”!! up she goes…)
@Pascvaks and George:
So, quite sun, lower UV, less heat in the atmosphere making it “shorter” and dumping heat faster, winter arriving at S.Hemisphere, queue the Volcanoes, add LOTS of particulates to keep solar heat out, expecially at shallow angles of sunshine AND: “SO2!! You’re ON… Staring Role”….
As I recall, SO2 makes things colder. As if they were not cold enough already…
Somehow I think it’s going to be a “killer skii season” in the S.H. this year… IFF folks can fly down there for it…
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/100_0.php
That body of water just to the North of those quakes has some significance with regard to volcanoes.
@George:
I presume you are talking about Lake Toba…
Yep. Oh, hey, major announcement today with regard to solar cycle. They aren’t seeing the precursors of cycle 25 that they would expect to see by now. The thinking is we might be going into another Maunder Minimum.
@George – They don’t see the precursors to very much very much at all. Remember what they were guesstimating a few years ago about SC24. Several guessed ‘high’, several guessed ‘low’ and everyone else was guessing ‘middle’. But, the laws of loaded dice being what they are, ya’ jus’ gotta’ say somethin’ if’n ya’ wanna’ make a splash in this Ol’ World. Right? ;-)
Wonder what the size of the splash from this guess is going to be in the media in the next few days? My guess, not much.
THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ERUPTION OF PINATUBO IN THE PHILIPPINES
http://bigthink.com/ideas/38798
Interesting read
Nabro still going…
Nabro Eruption intensifies, ash plume at 15.000 meters moving West
http://www.irishweatheronline.com/news/earthquakesvolcanos/nabro-volcano-eruption-intensifies-ash-cloud-shifts-west/20220.html
I performed some digging into studies performed on Nabro and found out that in the past it has been good for an eruption with an ejected mass between 20 and 100 cubic kilometers.
That is somewhere between two times Pinatubo and 1 time Tamborra.
More interestingly the mantle plume of the Nabro complex has been estimated at a volume of 550 cubic kilometers.
That puts Nabro right between a Tamborra (100 cubic km) and Yellowstone (1.000 cubic km).
In other words, Nabro has the potential to really, really ruin your day.
As for for the Chili eruption WUWT has reported that the plume is going global and massive ash fall on the Argentine side of the volcano is filling up one of the most pristine lakes at the foot of the Andes. In fact the lake has become a total mess.
The latest scientific research on the complex can be found here:
This volcano imo is a real wild card and at this moment in time there is no indication that the current eruption is going to slow down.
Regarding on 17 R. de Haan on 17 June 2011 at 3:23 am
Sir do you have the link to past Nabro events? Also has the current one yet been rated?
@David,
I already have posted the link to the scientific report about the past eruption and assessment.
The past eruption has not been dated, only estimated in term of eruption volume between 20 and 100 cubic kilometers.
I have no reliable data about the current eruption which according to the latest information is ongoing according to this public
If I find any more data I will publish it here.
Sorry for missing the link:
is ongoing according to this publication:
http://www.irishweatheronline.com/news/earthquakesvolcanos/satellite-image-shows-nabro-volcano-eruption-is-ongoing/20515.html
Nabro paper
Click to access Nabro.pdf
Wow! The amount of SO2 this thing is putting out is just amazing:
http://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/OMI/OMISO2/blowup_drag_ME.html
Compare with the little red area that is Hawaii’s volcanoes.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka activity update
http://earthquake-report.com/2011/06/17/kamchatka-volcano-erupts-in-russia/
@George,
Thanks for the download link of the Nabro report..
As for the China SO2 I assume this is present in the lower atmosphere, for the biggest part for the emissions of the burning of coal?
Quake swarm at Katla
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/volcano/icelands-katla-volcano-activity-since-eyjafjallajokull-eruption/
Iceland on shaky grounds today
http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/atlantic/
No, that SO2 is from Nabro. WHen that link comes up, scroll the page all the way to the right.
Here is a link to a better image:
Sorry it is so choppy but the satellite coverage is what it is.
On a “normal” day, that map has only a few small red dots on it at volcanoes.
Something just dawned on me. I remember reading a while back about periods of global cooling and volcanic ash deposits I recall ice cores showing ash in Antarctica that could not be identified with any particular volcano and was different from ash found in Greenland cores. Now I am wondering if they might be seeing a composite deposit made up of ash from several smaller volcanoes during a period of generally higher activity.
This would produce a deposit that does not match any particular volcano known to us. Just one of those curiosities.
Ash emissions smothering entire towns
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13828237
@ George,
Thanks for the new map.
The big red part in the previous map clearly showed Taiwan and China!
But you’re right, Nabro is an increddible source of CO2 and SO2.
Just look at the video a posted from Ian Plimer and listen to what he tells about the composition of the lava’s in the Asfar region.
As for the ash deposits in the Greenland cores, they not only originate from volcanic emissions but also forest fires.
Earth, water, fire and ice, that’s the planet we’re living on.
If ou take a look at the forest fire pictures at NASA’s earth observatory web site you see gigantic plumes caused by forest fires in the US crossing the Atlantic.
Dry forests, lightning, big scale fires, it’s all part of the natural carbon cycle.
We also have huge fires now in Russia.
In the past massive forest fires in Alaska dumped deposits in Greenland.
@George,
I have posted the video at “TIPS”.
Latest on Nabro
http://earthquake-report.com/2011/06/19/unusual-series-of-moderate-volcanic-earthquakes-in-eritrea-and-ethiopia/
WOW, turn your attention elsewhere for a day or two and all sorts of things start happening!
(Yesterday was a wedding… life goes on…)
Like the idea of “unidentified ash” being a composite. Does look like we’re getting just that kind of thing happening now.
Have you seen the amazing statement attributed to the New Zealand Geological Nuclear Sciences Dept –
“New Zealand has not suffered a sequence of big shakes like this in recorded history..”
They are talking about the 9 months since Sept 4 – the Darfield earthquake that hit Christchurch.
http://www.warwickhughes.com/blog/?p=1054
@Warwick Hughes:
Well, that certainly needs a bit of a think….
My Mom’s best friend moved to Auckland after WWII, and while she is long gone, her family is still there. Got me interested in N.Z. volcanoes. When there, I drove entirely around the North Island and stopped to look at anything volcanic I could find… I stopped a lot…
That Christchurch sits on an old volcano needs to be remembered. I’ll be really annoyed if it gets “consumed” before I get a chance to visit. ( I didn’t make it to South Island when I was there…) Yes, it’s been “extinct” for a long time… but “things change”…
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=3217
has a great overhead view of it.,
From the “Well, that’s not good” department:
http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2011/03/10/new-boiling-hot-springs-near-christchurch-new-volcano-activity/
Their orginal link:
http://www.iceagenow.com/New_boiling_hot_springs_near_Christchurch.htm
Just saw someone posting (without a link) that NASA says Nabro in Eritrea emitted the most SO2 ever recorded by satellite measurements.
George, It was in Ron’s link here.
@E.M,
New Zealand is situated on the ring of fire.
This means that non of it’s volcano’s is “extinct”
As for the claim that “the Christ Church quake was the biggest in the history”, it’s debunked by this overview: http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/historic-earthquakes/
R. de Haan – you say – “As for the claim that “the Christ Church quake was the biggest in the history”,”
I am not aware anybody has made that claim.
The claim made by the NZ Herald journalist is that – “A GNS seismologist admitted this week they were in unknown territory. New Zealand has not suffered a sequence of big shakes like this in recorded history,…”
http://www.warwickhughes.com/blog/?p=1054
Sequence refers to the nine months from September 4th to June 13th.
The major point about this nine month (and counting) swarm of earthquakes around Christchurch – is that pre September 4 2010 the region was seismically quiet. The odd quake has been felt in the city over the decades but from epicenters that were usually along the well known seismic regions in the Southern Alps.
So after September 4 2010 the Christchurch district known to be seismically quiet for over a century – is witnessing a brand new seismic event, still rolling on, poorly understood and now said to be the worst sequence of big shakes in New Zealand history.
If this earthquake swarm had happened in a region of New Zealand more noted for earthquakes – it would still have been a fascinating event – as any record is.
But I find it truly amazing that this “New Zealand record earthquake swarm” has sprung suddenly from a seismically quiet region.
6.5 in Chile today. Looks like that volcano’s not done by a long shot.
@Warwick Hughes,
Thanks for your explanation.
Please have a read at this Quake assessment report from 2005 and have a look at page 37
Click to access ECan_EQrisk_Part1_Methodology_Report_Final.pdf
I.M.O authorities and geologists were well aware of the quake risks as historic quakes with a similar strength of the 2011 quake have hit the region on a regular basis.
Nothing to be amazed about if you ask me.
Besides that, a period of 100 years is a very, very short time in geological terms.
Anyhow I have bookmarked your blog and I will have a close read at the posted publications.
It’s also warming up here in Silicon Valley as well … hit 100F on 101 on the way home.
Speculating about the Nabro Eruption
http://bigthink.com/ideas/38987