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Report on Asamayama (Japan) — 21 August-27 August 2019


Asamayama

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 August-27 August 2019
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2019. Report on Asamayama (Japan) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 August-27 August 2019. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (21 August-27 August 2019)

Asamayama

Japan

36.406°N, 138.523°E; summit elev. 2568 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


JMA reported that at 1928 on 25 August a small eruption at Asamayama generated a grayish-white ash plume that rose 600 m above the crater rim and drifted E. Large blocks were also ejected from the crater. Minor ashfall was reported in Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture, about 4 km E. The plume then turned white and continuous emissions rose 200 m during 25-26 August. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-5).

Geological Summary. Asamayama, Honshu's most active volcano, overlooks the resort town of Karuizawa, 140 km NW of Tokyo. The volcano is located at the junction of the Izu-Marianas and NE Japan volcanic arcs. The modern Maekake cone forms the summit and is situated east of the remnant of an older andesitic volcano, Kurofuyama, which was destroyed by a late-Pleistocene landslide about 20,000 years before present (BP). Growth of a dacitic shield volcano was accompanied by pumiceous pyroclastic flows, the largest of which occurred about 14,000-11,000 BP, and by growth of the Ko-Asamayama lava dome on the east flank. Maekake, capped by the Kamayama pyroclastic cone that forms the present summit, is probably only a few thousand years old and has observed activity dating back at least to the 11th century CE. Maekake has had several major Plinian eruptions, the last two of which occurred in 1108 (Asamayama's largest Holocene eruption) and 1783 CE.

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)