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Report on Karymsky (Russia) — 19 July-25 July 2006


Karymsky

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 19 July-25 July 2006
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2006. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 19 July-25 July 2006. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (19 July-25 July 2006)

Karymsky

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Based on interpretations of seismic data from Karymsky during 15-21 July, KVERT reported that ash plumes reached altitudes of 6 km (19,700 ft) a.s.l. According to the Tokyo VAAC, the Kamchatkan Experimental and Methodical Seismological Department (KEMSD) reported that on 23 and 24 July ash plumes reached altitudes of 6.7 km (22,000 ft) a.s.l. Approximately 180-400 shallow earthquakes occurred daily during the reporting period. A thermal anomaly in the crater was observed during 15-20 July. Karymsky remained at Concern Color Code 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.

Sources: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)