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Report on Karymsky (Russia) — January 1998


Karymsky

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 23, no. 1 (January 1998)
Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman.

Karymsky (Russia) Low-level Strombolian activity continues through January

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1998. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Wunderman, R., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 23:1. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199801-300130



Karymsky

Russia

54.049°N, 159.443°E; summit elev. 1513 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruptions Response Team (KVERT) reported continuation of the low-level Strombolian activity that has characterized Karymsky for more than two years. Seismicity remained just above background level. Gas-and-ash explosions during 29 December to 31 January occurred of every 30 minutes, with plumes usually rising 300-400 m. An ash advisory issued by the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reported an eruption 26 January that produced an ash cloud rising to 3,500 m. No other details of this eruption were available, and satellite imagery did not show evidence of the plume.

Geological Summary. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts the south side of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas. Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, located immediately south. The caldera enclosing Karymsky formed about 7600-7700 radiocarbon years ago; construction of the stratovolcano began about 2000 years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater.

Information Contacts: Vladimir Kirianov, Kamchatka Volcanic Eruptions Response Team (KVERT), Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry; Tom Miller, Alaska Volcano Observatory; NOAA/NESDIS Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB), USA.