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Report on Kuchinoerabujima (Japan) — 6 August-12 August 2014


Kuchinoerabujima

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 6 August-12 August 2014
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2014. Report on Kuchinoerabujima (Japan) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 6 August-12 August 2014. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (6 August-12 August 2014)

Kuchinoerabujima

Japan

30.443°N, 130.217°E; summit elev. 657 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


JMA reported on 6, 12 August a white plume rose 800m and 300 m respectively above the crater rim at Kuchinoerabujima. Views of the volcano remained obscured by clouds other days, but instruments recorded volcanic seismicity and volcanic tremor. The Alert Level for Kuchinoerabujima remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Geological Summary. A group of young stratovolcanoes forms the eastern end of the irregularly shaped island of Kuchinoerabujima in the northern Ryukyu Islands, 15 km W of Yakushima. The Furudake, Shindake, and Noikeyama cones were erupted from south to north, respectively, forming a composite cone with multiple craters. All historical eruptions have occurred from Shindake, although a lava flow from the S flank of Furudake that reached the coast has a very fresh morphology. Frequent explosive eruptions have taken place from Shindake since 1840; the largest of these was in December 1933. Several villages on the 4 x 12 km island are located within a few kilometers of the active crater and have suffered damage from eruptions.

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)