Report on Aira (Japan) — September 1989
Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 14, no. 9 (September 1989)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.
Aira (Japan) Frequent minor ash emission; two larger explosions
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 1989. Report on Aira (Japan) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 14:9. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198909-282080
Aira
Japan
31.593°N, 130.657°E; summit elev. 1117 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
Minami-dake summit crater frequently emitted small amounts of ash in September. The only two recorded explosions occurred at 0606 on the 5th and 1329 on the 17th. The latter ejected a 2,500-m ash plume, the highest of the month. The explosions caused no damage.
Geological Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the Aira caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim of Aira caldera and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76.
Information Contacts: JMA.