The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported that moderate steam-and-gas activity continued at Karymsky during 7-14 August. A weak thermal anomaly over the volcano was observed in satellite images during 13-14 August; the volcano was quiet or obscured by clouds on the other days of the week. Explosions began at 2140 on 14 August producing an ash plume that rose 2 km (6,600 ft) a.s.l., or about 700 m above the summit. The ash plume was 12 x 12 km and had drifted about 26 km SE by 2140 based on satellite observations. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Orange (the third level on a four-color scale) at 2351. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images during 15-19 August. Dates and times are provided in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); specific events are indicated in local time where specified.

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.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)