The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported that slow lava effusion continued to feed a thick lava flow in Great Sitkin’s summit crater during 13-19 November. The lava flow had filled most of the summit crater with minor advancement in the N part of the E lobe. The local seismic network continued to detect small earthquakes associated with the ongoing eruption. The last radar image, acquired on 14 November, confirmed ongoing effusion. Weather clouds obscured webcam and satellite views of the summit most of the week, though during 17-18 November elevated surface temperatures over the summit and diffuse steam plumes were identified in satellite images. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch (the third level on a four-level scale) and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the third color on a four-color scale).

Geological Summary. The Great Sitkin volcano forms much of the northern side of Great Sitkin Island. A younger volcano capped by a small, 0.8 x 1.2 km ice-filled summit caldera was constructed within a large late-Pleistocene or early Holocene scarp formed by massive edifice failure that truncated an older edifice and produced a submarine debris avalanche. Deposits from this and an even older debris avalanche from a source to the south cover a broad area of the ocean floor north of the volcano. The summit lies along the eastern rim of the younger collapse scarp. Deposits from an earlier caldera-forming eruption of unknown age cover the flanks of the island to a depth up to 6 m. The small younger caldera was partially filled by lava domes emplaced in 1945 and 1974, and five small older flank lava domes, two of which lie on the coastline, were constructed along northwest- and NNW-trending lines. Hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles occur near the head of Big Fox Creek, south of the volcano. Eruptions have been recorded since the late-19th century.

Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)