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Report on Pagan (United States) — 23 February-1 March 2011


Pagan

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 23 February-1 March 2011
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2011. Report on Pagan (United States) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 23 February-1 March 2011. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (23 February-1 March 2011)

Pagan

United States

18.13°N, 145.8°E; summit elev. 570 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


On 22 February, the Aviation Color Code and the Volcano Alert Level for Pagan were lowered to Unassigned. With the exception of a faint steam-and-gas plume observed on 24 January, no unusual activity at Pagan volcano had been detected in satellite imagery during the previous six weeks. Pagan is not monitored with ground-based geophysical instrumentation; the only source of information is satellite observations and occasional reports from island visitors.

Geological Summary. Pagan Island, the largest and one of the most active of the Mariana Islands volcanoes, consists of two stratovolcanoes connected by a narrow isthmus. Both North and South Pagan stratovolcanoes were constructed within calderas, 7 and 4 km in diameter, respectively. North Pagan at the NE end of the island rises above the flat floor of the northern caldera, which may have formed less than 1,000 years ago. South Pagan is a stratovolcano with an elongated summit containing four distinct craters. Almost all of the recorded eruptions, which date back to the 17th century, have originated from North Pagan. The largest eruption during historical time took place in 1981 and prompted the evacuation of the sparsely populated island.

Source: Emergency Management Office of the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands and United States Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program