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Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) — 24 March-30 March 2021


Klyuchevskoy

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 24 March-30 March 2021
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2021. Report on Klyuchevskoy (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 24 March-30 March 2021. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (24 March-30 March 2021)

Klyuchevskoy

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


KVERT reported that the flank eruption on Klyuchevskoy’s lower NW flank had ended on 20 March. Weak incandescence from the cinder cone and lava flows visible in webcam images reflected cooling. The temperature of the thermal anomaly identified in satellite data continued to decrease. On 24 March the Aviation Color Code was lowered to Green (the lowest level). According to satellite data, a plume of resuspended ash extended for 72 km E of the volcano on 25 March; no eruption was reported. On 25 March the Aviation Color Code was briefly increased to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale) and was lowered to Green by 26 March.

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.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)