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Raususan [Mendeleev]

Photo of this volcano
  • Japan - administered by Russia
  • Stratovolcano
  • 1880 CE
  •  
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 43.979°N
  • 145.733°E

  • 882 m
    2894 ft

  • 290020
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: January 1988 (SEAN 13:01) Citation IconCite this Report

Earthquake swarm associated with geothermal production

A summit earthquake swarm with focal depths of <10 km was recorded 4-5 May 1987 (table 9-1). Epicenters were <15 km from Yuzhno-Kurilsk seismic station (12 km from the volcano). Repeated measurements 25-28 September in a borehole 10 km from the summit registered temperatures 4°C higher than in 1986 at a depth of 74 m. Temperatures increased 4-5°C in some hot springs on the E and S flanks. Fumaroles in the same area showed essentially no variation from 1986; vapor emitted under pressure had temperatures of 97-107°C. . . . the earthquakes seemed to be caused by exploitation of geothermal wells, used for heat production.

Information Contacts: G. Steinberg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Raususan [Mendeleev].

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

04/1987 (SEAN 12:04) Intense fumarolic and solfataric activity

01/1988 (SEAN 13:01) Earthquake swarm associated with geothermal production




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


April 1987 (SEAN 12:04) Citation IconCite this Report

Intense fumarolic and solfataric activity

In the explosive crater area on the volcano's E slope intense fumarolic and solfataric activity was occurring during a 6 November aerial survey.

Information Contacts: G. Steinberg and B. Piskunov, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.


January 1988 (SEAN 13:01) Citation IconCite this Report

Earthquake swarm associated with geothermal production

A summit earthquake swarm with focal depths of <10 km was recorded 4-5 May 1987 (table 9-1). Epicenters were <15 km from Yuzhno-Kurilsk seismic station (12 km from the volcano). Repeated measurements 25-28 September in a borehole 10 km from the summit registered temperatures 4°C higher than in 1986 at a depth of 74 m. Temperatures increased 4-5°C in some hot springs on the E and S flanks. Fumaroles in the same area showed essentially no variation from 1986; vapor emitted under pressure had temperatures of 97-107°C. . . . the earthquakes seemed to be caused by exploitation of geothermal wells, used for heat production.

Information Contacts: G. Steinberg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 2 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1900 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
1900 - Unknown Evidence from Unknown

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
1900    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1880 Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode NE solfatara field
1880 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at NE solfatara field

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity weak or small
1880    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

2270 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode West side of central cone, KnIV-10 tephra
2270 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at West side of central cone, KnIV-10 tephra

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Pyroclastic flow
   - - - -    - - - - Lava dome
   - - - -    - - - - Avalanche
   - - - -    - - - - Edifice Destroyed Collapse/avalanche
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Raususan [Mendeleev].

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Raususan [Mendeleev].

Photo Gallery

The major eruption of Raususan about 4,200 years ago was similar in several ways to the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. Flank collapse produced a debris avalanche and left a crater that opens to the west. Pyroclastic flows accompanied growth of a lava dome in the new crater. This dacite dome (right) forms the high point. Several geothermal areas occur on the flanks of the central cone.

Photo by Yuri Doubik (Institute of Volcanology, Petropavlovsk).
Brightly-colored deposits of elemental sulfur surround fumarolic vents on the NW side of the central cone of Mendeleev volcano, in the southern Kuril Islands. These fumaroles are located within several craters where the central cone meets the inner caldera wall. Hot springs occur on the NE flank and along the NE coast, where the Goriachi-Pliazh geothermal field is located.

Photo by Yuri Doubik (Institute of Volcanology, Petropavlovsk).
Raususan contains two nested calderas, the larger is 6-7 km in diameter and the smaller is 3-3.5 km in diameter. A cone that formed inside the younger caldera is seen here from the E, near the settlement of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. A phreatic explosion was recorded in 1880. The Goryachy Plyazh geothermal field is located outside the caldera along the Pacific coast.

Photo by Oleg Volynets (Institute of Volcanology, Petropavlovsk).
Raususan on the southern part of Kunashir Island towers above the village of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. Steam plumes are visible rising from geothermal wells on the NW flanks, one of several geothermal fields across the volcano. The edifice seen in this view is within a 6-7 km wide caldera.

Photo by Alexander Rybin, 2001 (Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics, Yuzhno-Sakhalin).
GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Raususan [Mendeleev] in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites