Report on Karymsky (Russia) — 11 July-17 July 2007
Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 11 July-17 July 2007
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2007. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 11 July-17 July 2007. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Karymsky
Russia
54.049°N, 159.443°E; summit elev. 1513 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
During 6-13 July, seismic activity at Karymsky was above background levels. Based on seismic interpretation, ash plumes may have risen to altitudes of 2.5 km and 3.8 km (8,200 ft and 12,500 ft) a.s.l. on 7 and 10 July, respectively. A thermal anomaly in the crater was visible on satellite imagery during 10-11 July. The Level of Concern Color Code remained at Orange.
Based on pilot reports, satellite imagery, observations in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Flight Information Region (FIR), and KEMSD, the Tokyo VAAC reported that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 9.1 (30,000 ft) a.s.l. on 11 July. Based on information from KEMSD, the Tokyo VAAC reported that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. on 16 July. Ash was not identified on satellite imagery.
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: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)