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Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) — December 1994


Klyuchevskoy

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 19, no. 12 (December 1994)
Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman.

Klyuchevskoy (Russia) Small eruption in mid-January

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1994. Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) (Wunderman, R., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 19:12. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199412-300260



Klyuchevskoy

Russia

56.056°N, 160.642°E; summit elev. 4754 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


During the week of 8-14 December, 3-14 shallow earthquakes/day and 1.5-8.0 hours/day of volcanic tremor were recorded, down from the previous week. No visual observations were made because of a snow storm in the area. No information was available for the second half of December because of the suspension of communications from KVERT.

While in Petropavlovsk in mid-January 1995, Tom Miller (AVO) reported a small eruption that occurred sometime between 0630 and 1830 on 14 January. Weather in the area was poor, but an ash cloud was observed at ~9 km altitude. Seismic data indicated a single eruptive burst and not a continuous eruption. Satellite imagery showed weather clouds cover the area. However, at 0857 on 14 January a short, narrow plume, ~35 km long, was very evident on satellite imagery blowing NE. The apex of this plume appeared to start at the SE flank of the volcano, but at 1 km resolution this is uncertain. A band 4 minus band 5 image showed a distinct plume.

Geological Summary. Klyuchevskoy is the highest and most active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Since its origin about 6,000 years ago, this symmetrical, basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. It rises above a saddle NE of Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred during approximately the past 3,000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 and 3,600 m elevation. Eruptions recorded since the late 17th century have resulted in frequent changes to the morphology of the 700-m-wide summit crater. These eruptions over the past 400 years have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.

Information Contacts: V. Kirianov, IVGG; AVO.