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Report on Karymsky (Russia) — 21 April-27 April 2010


Karymsky

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 April-27 April 2010
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2010. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 April-27 April 2010. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (21 April-27 April 2010)

Karymsky

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


KVERT reported that on 16 and 23 April seismic activity from Karymsky was at background levels. During 17-22 April, seismicity was above background levels and a thermal anomaly was seen in satellite imagery. On 17 and 18 April, seismic data suggested that ash plumes rose to an altitude of 2 km (6,500 ft) a.s.l. Ash plumes were seen in satellite imagery drifting 40-130 km SE on 17 and 21 April. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange.

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)