Karymsky eruption. January 1, 1996.

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Karymsky Volcano -- Information Releases from the Alaska Volcano Observatory

Thursday, March 7, 1996 12 PM AST (J067, 2100 UTC) KARYMSKY VOLCANO Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 54o03' N 159o27' E summit elevation 1536 m (5040 feet).

Following the main eruption period in early January, 1996, Karymsky volcano has produced one to several small explosions per day of mainly steam with minor ash, to heights of 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above the mountain. The lava flow produced during the January eruption stopped growing in early February and is now cooling. A volcanologist observing Karymsky volcano reported from the Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry (IVGG) this week that daily explosions were continuing, and the overall temperature of the lake adjacent to the volcano was 23oC with a hotter (32oC) area at the north end of the lake. The current level of mild explosive activity can be expected to continue for several months.

Friday, January 12, 1996 12:00 AST (21:00 UTC) KARYMSKY VOLCANO, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. 54o03' N 159o27' E. summit elevation 1536 m (5069 ft)

An extended period of bad weather in Kamchatka has hindered both field observations at the volcano and the interpretation of satellite images. Seismicity indicates eruptive activity continues but perhaps in a less explosive manner.

Friday, January 5, 1996 3:30 PM AST (J005, 0030 UTC)

KARYMSKY VOLCANO, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. 54o03' N 159o27' E. summit elevation 1536 m (5069 feet)

The explosive eruption which began January 1 near Karymsky volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula continues as of today. The eruption began between 0500-0700 UTC, Julian day 001 in the north end of Karymsky Lake about 5 km south of Karymsky volcano proper. The initial stage of the eruption was apparently phreatomagmatic in character; Russian aviation sources reported an ash plume to 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) above sea level at approximately 2330 UTC, Julian day 001. Based on a satellite image at 0200 UTC, the plume extended at least 200 km (120 miles) southeast and south of the volcano. When the volcano was visited on January 3, activity had shifted to Karymsky volcano where a new crater had formed on the south-southwest side of the cone adjacent to the old summit crater. The new crater is now over twice the size of the old crater. A thick black ash plume has been observed the past two days erupting explosively from the new crater to altitudes ranging from 2,400 m (8,000 feet) ASL to 5,500 m (18,000 feet) ASL. Seismicity as of 2030 UTC today suggests this activity continues with explosions every 1-3 minutes. Ash fall has been widespread throughout Karymsky caldera and for a considerable area to the east and north.

Karymsky Lake, which occupies a late Pleistocene caldera and is about 5 km in diameter, continues to be yellow-gray in color and mostly covered by steam and vapor. Karymsky River drains the lake and flows between the lake and the volcano. The river is now blocked from the lake and has a considerable diminished rate of flow; a new beach with numerous fumaroles marks the former source of the river.

Karymsky volcano is one of the more active volcanoes in Kamchatka having erupted over 20 times in the past 200 years although it has been relatively quiet since 1982 following a decade of frequent eruptive activity. Periods of seismic unrest have occurred several times in the past 12 months and the volcano emits a continuous steam plume. The volcano is capable of explosive eruptions which can send ash to over 10 km (33,000 feet ASL) and continue sporadically for days or weeks; short lava flows are also a possibility. The volcano is located in a remote part of the Kamchatka Peninsula about 110 km (70 miles) northwest of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and no towns or villages are threatened. The chief hazard at this time would appear to be encounters between airborne volcanic ash and aircraft.

AVO will continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with the National Weather Service, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. This report was prepared by Tom Miller from material supplied by the Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KARYMSKY ERUPTION:

If you have any questions about the ongoing eruption of Karymsky, please contact Tom Miller at 786-7454 (office) or 346-3464 (home), or futpm@acad1.alaska.edu.

INFORMATION RELEASE

Tuesday, January 2, 1996 2330 AST (J003, 0830 UTC)

KARYMSKY VOLCANO. 54o03' N 159o27' E. summit elevation 1536 m (5069 feet)

The explosive eruption which began on January 1 near Karymsky volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula continues as of 0430 UTC (Julian day 003). Vladimir Kirianov and Yuri Doubik of the Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry, who visited the area between 0130 and 0430 UTC, made the following observations. The eruption apparently began between about 0500-0700 UTC, Julian day 001 in the north end of Karymsky Lake about 5 km south of Karymsky volcano proper. The initial stage of the eruption was apparently phreatic (steam-rich explosions) in character; Russian aviation sources reported an ash plume to 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) above sea level at approximately 2330 UTC, Julian day 001. Based on a satellite image at 0200 UTC, the plume extended at least 200 km (120 miles) southeast and south of the volcano. When the volcano was visited on January 3, activity had shifted to Karymsky volcano where a new crater had formed on the south-southwest side of the cone adjacent to the old summit crater. The new crater was approximately the same size as the old crater. A thick black ash plume reached an altitude of about 2.5 km (7,500 feet) ASL and was being carried to the east; explosions were occurring every 1-5 minutes. Fresh ash fall was widespread throughout Karymsky caldera and for a considerable area to the east and north.

Karymsky Lake, which occupies a late Pleistocene caldera and is about 5 km in diameter, was yellow-gray in color and mostly covered by steam and vapor. Karymsky River which flows out of the lake to the north was completely buried in ash and no longer visible; a new beach with numerous fumaroles marked the former source of the river.

Very strong seismic activity has been associated with the eruption with at least one earthquake on Julian day 001 having a Magnitude of 6.9. Seismic stations as far as 110 km from the volcano were recording the activity.

This report was prepared by Kirianov and Doubik of the Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and Tom Miller of the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

INFORMATION RELEASE. Monday, January 1, 1996 2330 AST (J002, 0830 UTC)

KARYMSKY VOLCANO. 54o03' N 159o27' E. Summit elevation 1536 m (5069 feet)

An explosive eruption occurred at Karymsky volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula beginning late yesterday afternoon or evening according to seismic activity recorded by Russian scientists; Russian aviation sources reported an ash plume to 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) above sea level at approximately 1130 KST (Julian day 001, 2330 UTC). Based on a satellite image at 0200 UTC, the plume had extended at least 200 km (120 miles) southeast and south of the volcano. The National Weather Service has issued several SIGMETS concerning the ash plume.