On 2 August, V. Kirianov visited the volcano by helicopter and reported continuation of the low-level Strombolian activity that has characterized the volcano for more than a year. A blocky lava flow (60 m wide and 350 m long) was observed moving from the crater down the W slope during 2-10 August. During early August- early October, seismicity remained above background levels. Low-level Strombolian activity continued through mid-October. Gas-and-ash explosions during this period occurred at a frequency of 3-4/hour, with plumes usually rising to 150-600 m, rarely as high as 1,000 m.

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.