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Report on Mutnovsky (Russia) — 9 January-15 January 2008


Mutnovsky

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 9 January-15 January 2008
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2008. Report on Mutnovsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 9 January-15 January 2008. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (9 January-15 January 2008)

Mutnovsky

Russia

52.449°N, 158.196°E; summit elev. 2288 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


KVERT reported on 11 January that seismic activity in the area of Mutnovsky and Gorely volcanoes was slightly elevated above background levels during the previous three weeks, but increasing activity was not confirmed. There is only one seismic station in the area of the two volcanoes so the source of the seismicity cannot be determined. Activity was not observed on satellite imagery. The level of Concern Color Code was lowered to Green.

Geological Summary. Massive Mutnovsky, one of the most active volcanoes of southern Kamchatka, is formed of four coalescing stratovolcanoes of predominantly basaltic composition. Multiple summit craters cap the volcanic complex. Growth of Mutnovsky IV, the youngest cone, began during the early Holocene. An intracrater cone was constructed along the northern wall of the 1.3-km-wide summit crater. Abundant flank cinder cones were concentrated on the SW side. Holocene activity was characterized by mild-to-moderate phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions from the summit crater. Explosive eruptions have been common since the 17th century, with lava flows produced during the 1904 eruption.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)