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Report on Aira (Japan) — February 1993


Aira

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 18, no. 2 (February 1993)
Managing Editor: Edward Venzke.

Aira (Japan) Explosions continue; three earthquake swarms

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1993. Report on Aira (Japan) (Venzke, E., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 18:2. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199302-282080



Aira

Japan

31.593°N, 130.657°E; summit elev. 1117 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Explosions . . . continued at a rate similar to that recorded in January. Two of the 15 explosions recorded in February produced observable incandescent columns rising 100 m above the crater. An explosion at 1822 on 3 February produced the highest ash plume of the month, 2,000 m. Seismicity remained normal. Three swarms of B-type earthquakes were recorded: on 9 February (duration 5 hours), 10 February (5 hours), and 25 February (10 hours).

Geological Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the Aira caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim of Aira caldera and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76.

Information Contacts: JMA.