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Report on Karymsky (Russia) — 21 October-27 October 2020


Karymsky

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 October-27 October 2020
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2020. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 October-27 October 2020. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (21 October-27 October 2020)

Karymsky

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


A new eruption at Karymsky that began on 21 October prompted KVERT to raise the Aviation Color Code to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale). A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images. During 21-23 October explosions produced ash plumes that rose as high as 6 km (19,700 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 380 km SE. An ash cloud, 30 x 60 km in area, was identified in satellite images 530 km SE from the volcano.

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.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)