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Report on Karymsky (Russia) — 14 July-20 July 2010


Karymsky

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 14 July-20 July 2010
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2010. Report on Karymsky (Russia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 14 July-20 July 2010. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (14 July-20 July 2010)

Karymsky

Russia

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


KVERT reported that satellite imagery showed ash plumes from Karymsky drifting 30 km W and S on 7 and 8 July and a thermal anomaly over the volcano during 8-10 and 12 July. Seismic activity was above background levels during 12-14 July and suggested that possible ash plumes rose to an altitude of 3.3 km (10,800 ft) a.s.l. Seismic data were not available other days during 9-16 July due to technical problems. Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 19 July a possible eruption produced a plume that rose to an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW. Ash was noted and then later dissipated. A possible eruption was reported the next day, and again a subsequent satellite image showed that ash had dissipated within a few hours. The Aviation Color Code level remained at 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)