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Report on Miyakejima (Japan) — 23 August-29 August 2006


Miyakejima

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 23 August-29 August 2006
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2006. Report on Miyakejima (Japan) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 23 August-29 August 2006. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (23 August-29 August 2006)

Miyakejima

Japan

34.094°N, 139.526°E; summit elev. 775 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


The Tokyo VAAC reported that an eruption at Miyake-jima on 23 August generated plumes that reached altitudes of ~1.5 km (~5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. Ash was not identified on satellite imagery.

Geological Summary. The circular, 8-km-wide island of Miyakejima forms a low-angle stratovolcano that rises about 1,100 m from the sea floor in the northern Izu Islands about 200 km SSW of Tokyo. The basaltic volcano is truncated by small summit calderas, one of which, 3.5 km wide, was formed during a major eruption about 2,500 years ago. Numerous craters and vents, including maars near the coast and radially oriented fissure vents, are present on the flanks. Frequent eruptions have been recorded since 1085 CE at vents ranging from the summit to below sea level, causing much damage on this small populated island. After a three-century-long hiatus ending in 1469 CE, activity has been dominated by flank fissure eruptions sometimes accompanied by minor summit eruptions. A 1.6-km-wide summit crater was slowly formed by subsidence during an eruption in 2000.

Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)