JMA reported that five explosions from Sakura-jima's Showa Crater ejected tephra as far as 800 m during 18-22 November. Incandescence was occasionally detected by a high resolution camera at night. A very small eruption from Minami-dake Crater occurred on 22 November, producing an ash plume that rose 100 m. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

The Tokyo VAAC reported that during 20-21 and 23-26 November, explosions generated plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.2-4.9 km (4,000-16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N, E, and SE.

Geological Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the Aira caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim of Aira caldera and built an island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption took place during 1471-76.

Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)