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Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) — March 1980


Klyuchevskoy

Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 5, no. 3 (March 1980)
Managing Editor: David Squires.

Klyuchevskoy (Russia) Large ash explosions from summit; lava from flank fissure

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1980. Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) (Squires, D., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 5:3. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198003-300260



Klyuchevskoy

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Soviet press sources described a renewed eruption at Kliuchevskoi. After a series of volcanic earthquakes, ash was ejected from the summit in bursts that rose as much as 5 km. Ashfall covered an area of more than 6,000 km2. On 6 March, a fissure more than 1 km long opened on the NE flank and began to emit gases. The next day, lava extrusion from the fissure started at 1.5 km altitude (the summit is at 4,850 m above sea level). Four small cones, up to 20 m high, formed along the fissure. As of 14 March, lava had flowed 1 km downslope and ash emission from the summit crater was continuing. IVP personnel were investigating the activity at the eruption site.

Further Reference. Stepanov, V.V., and Chirkov, A.M., 1981, Activity of the upper crater of Kliuchevskoi volcano in January-March 1980: Volcanology and Seismology, no. 1, p. 103-106.

Geological Summary. Klyuchevskoy (also spelled Kliuchevskoi) is Kamchatka's highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. It rises above a saddle NE of sharp-peaked Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3600 m elevation. The morphology of the 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.

Information Contacts: Tass; V. Khudyakov; 14 March 1980 edition of "Sovetskaya Rossiya", Moscow.