Explosion on 25 May 2015; lava flows down the E and SE flanks, and into the caldera

The first documented historical eruption in the Galapagos was at Wolf in 1797, and basaltic lava flows have spilled down its flanks a number of times since then. The most recent previous eruption began with an ash plume on 28 August 1982, and continued with lava fountains and flows from a fissure on the SE flank and inside the summit caldera into the first weeks of September 1982 (SEAN 07:08).

Volcan Wolf erupted with a 15-km-high plume of mostly water vapor and SO2 on 25 May 2015. This was followed by the emission of lava flows from a fissure on the SE edge of the caldera down the NE, E, and SE flanks to the ocean for several weeks. Beginning on 13 June, the first lava flows were observed within the crater, and flows down the outer flanks decreased. Lava flows were also observed within the crater via satellite in late June, and strong daily thermal anomalies from the crater continued through 4 July before tapering off.

The volcanoes on the Galapagos Islands are monitored by the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG-EPN) in Quito, Ecuador, and the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) is responsible for aviation warnings. IG maintains a broadband seismic network and a DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer) SO2 monitoring station on the islands that transmits data to the mainland.

Ecuador's Instituto Geofisico (IG) reported that its seismic station FER1, located on Fernandina Island approximately 38 km SW of Wolf, began recording seismic events in the vicinity of Wolf at 2350 (local Galapagos time) on 24 May 2015. The most significant signal occurred at 0058 on 25 May, corresponding to an explosion and the start of an eruption. This was followed by other smaller seismic events in the following hours. At 0215 local time the Washington VAAC detected a plume that rose to an altitude of 10.7 km and drifted 65 km SW. Ongoing emissions at 0345 were drifting in two directions, S at 13.7 km altitude and ENE as high as 15.2 km. By 0600 the plumes were observed 250 km from the volcano. Later in the day at 1245 a remnant of the original plume was observed 186 km SSE of the summit, while a new emission at 10.7 km was detected 150 km SW. There was no report of ashfall in the Galapagos Islands, leading IG scientists to infer a low ash content for the plume, although a large SO2 plume was identified by satellite instruments.

At first light, personnel from the Galapagos National Park (PNG) were able to photograph the plume and a lava flow erupting from a fissure on the SSE flank (figure 1). A strong thermal anomaly on the SE flank was also detected in MODIS data analyzed by the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) MODVOLC system early on 25 May, and grew stronger in subsequent days. A very strong SO2 plume, eventually releasing around 200 kt of sulfur dioxide, was also captured by the Aura/OMI satellite SO2 instrument on 25 and 26 May (figure 2).

In the days following the explosion, lava flows descended the NE, E, and SE flanks from a fissure located near the edge of the caldera. IG scientists were able to observe the flowing lava during an overflight on 29 May (figures 3 and 4). They noted a steam plume rising 2-3 km above the volcano with no visible ash, and a strong sulfur odor.

By 28 May the E lava field was approximately 7 km long and flows had reached the ocean. Thermal imaging during the overflight revealed two areas with apparent maximum temperatures (TMA) greater than 500°C, one at the site of the fissure near the caldera rim, and one in the lava field on the E flank. SO2 emissions measured during the overflight were 40.6 kt/day. Satellite images gathered on 5 and 11 June confirmed the source of the lava flows as an arcuate fissure around the SE and E edges of the caldera in a similar location to the 1982 fissure.

Another overflight by IG-EPN scientists on 12 June confirmed the continuing emission of lava flows down the SE and E flanks. The helicopter landed on the north rim of the crater with a view to the south of the lava flow from the 1982 eruption and gases emitting from the active fissure zone (figure 5). IG scientists heard at least five explosions during their visit to the crater rim. Thermal images gathered during the 12 June flight revealed that temperatures of the flows on the SE flank had dropped to less than 100°C, but temperatures at the fissure vent were still greater than 500°C, and steaming lava was observed near the emission zone (figure 6).

On 13 June 2015 satellite imagery showed new thermal anomalies inside the crater, suggesting active lava flowing into the crater in addition to the flows on the E and SE flanks. This was confirmed with visible low-resolution imagery from the WorldView 3 satellite on 16 June which showed an area of likely incandescence near the S rim. An image from the WorldView 1 satellite on 18 June showed a new lava flow on the floor of the caldera (figure 7). IG-EPN scientists combined the thermal data from their overflights with satellite imagery to define the areas of new lava flow through late June (figure 8).

The thermal alert pixels from the MODVOLC system show an evolution of the heat anomalies from the MODIS infrared satellite data that corresponds well with the satellite imagery and ground observations. The first anomalies were recorded on 25 May 2015. Strong multi-pixel anomalies (in some cases, more than 50 per day) were mapped daily until 4 July. After this, they become intermittent, and the daily number dropped below 11, tapering to one or two pixels every few days between 17 July, with the last two observed on 1 August. Two lobes of lava flows to the E and SE can be distinguished on the MODVOLC maps between 25 May and 12 June; anomalies within the crater appear on 13 June, increase to a maximum in the third week of June, and then taper off during July (figure 9).

MODIS data processed by MIROVA recorded a large thermal energy signature between 25 and 30 May, which then decreased for several days before increasing again in the second week of June (figure 10). The MIROVA radiative power data showed that the anomalies continued to decrease, suggestive of cooling lava flows, through November 2015, however, they picked up again early in 2016 (figure 11), indicating some continuing source of heat from the volcano.

No further special reports were issued by the Instituto Geofisico after June 2015 and available evidence suggests active lava flows ceased by late July 2015.

Information Contacts: Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN), Casilla 17-01-2759, Quito, Ecuador (URL: http://www.igepn.edu.ec/); Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB), NOAA/NESDIS OSPO, NOAA Science Center Room 401, 5200 Auth Rd, Camp Springs, MD 20746, USA (URL: http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/atmosphere/vaac/) [Archive at: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/archive.html]; Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), MODVOLC Thermal Alerts System, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Univ. of Hawai'i, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA (URL: http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/, http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/modisnew.cgi); NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC), Global Sulfur Dioxide Monitoring Page, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, Goddard, Maryland, USA (URL: https://so2.gsfc.nasa.gov/); MIROVA (Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity), a collaborative project between the Universities of Turin and Florence (Italy) supported by the Centre for Volcanic Risk of the Italian Civil Protection Department (URL: http://www.mirovaweb.it/).

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

July 1971 (CSLP 42-71)

Aerial reconnaissance shows caldera unchanged

Card 1249 (07 July 1971) Aerial reconnaissance shows caldera unchanged

Information Contacts: Educational Expeditions International Research Team, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; T. Simkin, SI.

March 1973 (CSLP 31-73)

Earthquake swarm near Isla Isabella

Card 1588 (21 March 1973) Earthquake swarm near Isla Isabella

A small earthquake swarm took place in the Galapagos Islands in late January 1973. The Charles Darwin Research Station reported 57 events on its seismograph (GIE) from 23 through 28 January and estimated an epicentral distance of 110-160 km. The NOS/NOAA National Earthquake Information Center has located hypocenters for three events (Mb 4.4 and 4.5). These fit the Research Station's estimates, and are 15 km E, 26 km E, and 5 km SW of the center of Wolf, Isla Isabella. Dr. John Filson reports additional events (Mb 4.0-4.3) detected by LASA on 16 January and 18 February; the latter events are confirmed by NOS/NOAA but reliable hypocenters have not yet been located. The Charles Darwin Research Station reports no visible activity associated with this earthquake swarm.

Information Contacts: R. Sievers, Charles Darwin Research Station, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; W. Person, U.S. National Earthquake Information Center; J. Filson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; T. Simkin, SI.

November 1973 (CSLP 147-73)

Park wardens hear strong and constant rumbling from the caldera

Card 1749 (30 November 1973) Park wardens hear strong and constant rumbling from the caldera

"Galapagos National Park Wardens on W flank of Wolf two weeks ago heard strong and constant rumbling from caldera. The roar could be heard at the coast 6 km from the caldera rim and continued through the night. No reports of eruptive cloud, but clouds frequently obscure summit and volcano cannot be seen from inhabited parts of the archipelago. Darwin Station seismograph reports no unusual activity, but earthquake swarm early this year (see Event Card 1588) appeared centered on the SE flank of Wolf, the site of the last, largest (Mb 4.9), and best-located event on 19 March 1973. Darwin Station party is en route to investigate and SKYLAB will photograph.

"The last recorded eruptions of this, the northernmost shield volcano on the largest Galapagos Island, were on the SE flank in 1948 and 1963. The equator crosses the S end of the caldera at 91.3°W and the rim is 6 km in diameter, 1,710 m above the sea, and 670 m above the caldera floor. Reports of Galapagos volcanism in early August of this year appear to have been influenced by NASA press release on successful SKYLAB photography of 'Galapagos Eruptive Centers.' No Galapagos eruption was sighted by SKYLAB II but shortly after the press release emerged from Ecuadorian newspapers clouds and lights were reported from the volcano at Cape Berkeley, NW Isabella. These reports have been investigated on the volcano by Darwin Station personnel and no evidence of an August eruption has been found. The only other Galapagos volcanism known since the 1968 Fernandina caldera collapse is the 1972 Fernandina eruption reported in June of this year (Event Card 1659). . . ."

Information Contacts: Peter Kramer, Charles Darwin Research Station, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Tom Simkin, SI.

December 1973 (CSLP 150-73)

Thermal anomalies, but no confirmed activity

Card 1752 (13 December 1973) Space-based observations of activity

Observations from space... support previous indication of eruption on Wolf (Event Card 1749), and suggest strong thermal activity on Darwin. . . . NOAA-2 [satellite imagery] shows additional hot spots on E flank of Wolf . . . .

Card 1757 (17 December 1973) Infrared hot-spot probably not eruption related

Close inspection of NOAA-2 imagery shows hot spots reported on Event Card 1752 coincide with caldera floors, not outer flanks, and can probably be explained by normal daytime temperature differences. . . . Darwin Station party "saw nothing on Wolf" but gave no further details on that eruption (Event Card 1749).

Information Contacts:
Card 1752 (13 December 1973) F. Parmenter, NOAA; M. McEwen, NASA; J. Filson, MIT; T. Simkin, SI.
Card 1757 (17 December 1973) A. Krueger and F. Parmenter, NOAA; J. Filson, MIT; P. Kramer, Darwin Research Station; T. Simkin, SI.

August 1982 (SEAN 07:08) Cite this Report

Lava fountaining and flows in caldera and on SE flank

Eruption clouds began to emerge from the volcano during the afternoon of 28 August. Plume emission was first detected on visible band satellite images between 1300 and 1400, and feeding continued until nightfall. The plume, which drifted W, could not be seen on infrared imagery, indicating that it remained at low altitudes. Observers on a tour ship first saw clouds issuing from the summit about 1430-1500 and reported strong summit glow that night. Activity on the SE flank was first observed at 0830 the next morning, but heavy weather clouds had obscured this area the previous afternoon, and flank vents may have been active then as well.

Tui DeRoy Moore and others arrived at the SE flank late 31 August. Lava fountained from a radial fissure that extended 1 km or more downslope from 875 m altitude. Fresh lava covered the area near the fissure. Lava flowed SE then turned toward the E, reaching about 280 m altitude. This flow had stopped advancing by 1 September and fountaining had ended by that evening, although some SE flank glow remained visible. As the flank activity declined, summit activity increased. Summit glow had been visible since 28 August, but strengthened during the night of 1-2 September and a large convecting cloud was present over the caldera. Moore reached the caldera rim on 3 September and found several vents active in the caldera, the strongest on its floor at the base of the steep SW wall. Lava fountaining from this vent was continuous and the fountains occasionally rose as high as the caldera rim, approximately 700 m above the floor. Intermittent, relatively weak fountaining (less than 50 m estimated height) occurred from four small vents along a 100-200-m-long fissure on the S caldera floor. Thick-looking pahoehoe lava covered slightly more than half of the caldera floor, or approximately 6 km², and was mainly on the N and NW side. Gases emerging from the base of the convecting eruption cloud formed a haze that drifted W, away from the observers. By early 4 September, when Moore left the volcano, a cone had begun to form around the main vent. Activity appeared to be dominated by scoria ejection, with little lava being added to the caldera floor flows. No earthquakes were felt by the observers, and Moore reported that there seemed to be little effect on the flora and fauna. Glow was still visible in the eruption cloud late 5 September and airplane passengers saw a strong plume 6 September.

Wolf has been one of the more active Galápagos volcanoes. Flank eruptions from the same SE vent area took place in 1948 and 1963, but summit caldera activity had not been documented since 1800. A probable SE flank eruption was heard but not seen in 1973. The present eruption is a two-hemisphere event, with the caldera lying mostly N of the equator and the SE vent, less than 10 km distant, in the Southern Hemisphere.

Further Reference. Schatz, H., and Schatz, I., 1983, Der ausbruch des Vulkanes Wolf (Inseln Isabela, Galápagos-Inseln Ecuador) im Jahre 1982—Ein Augenzeugenbericht; Ber. Nat. Med. Verein Innsbruck; v. 70, p. 17-28.

Information Contacts: T. Moore, Isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos.

October 2016 (BGVN 41:10) Cite this Report

Explosion on 25 May 2015; lava flows down the E and SE flanks, and into the caldera

The first documented historical eruption in the Galapagos was at Wolf in 1797, and basaltic lava flows have spilled down its flanks a number of times since then. The most recent previous eruption began with an ash plume on 28 August 1982, and continued with lava fountains and flows from a fissure on the SE flank and inside the summit caldera into the first weeks of September 1982 (SEAN 07:08).

Volcan Wolf erupted with a 15-km-high plume of mostly water vapor and SO2 on 25 May 2015. This was followed by the emission of lava flows from a fissure on the SE edge of the caldera down the NE, E, and SE flanks to the ocean for several weeks. Beginning on 13 June, the first lava flows were observed within the crater, and flows down the outer flanks decreased. Lava flows were also observed within the crater via satellite in late June, and strong daily thermal anomalies from the crater continued through 4 July before tapering off.

The volcanoes on the Galapagos Islands are monitored by the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG-EPN) in Quito, Ecuador, and the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) is responsible for aviation warnings. IG maintains a broadband seismic network and a DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer) SO2 monitoring station on the islands that transmits data to the mainland.

Ecuador's Instituto Geofisico (IG) reported that its seismic station FER1, located on Fernandina Island approximately 38 km SW of Wolf, began recording seismic events in the vicinity of Wolf at 2350 (local Galapagos time) on 24 May 2015. The most significant signal occurred at 0058 on 25 May, corresponding to an explosion and the start of an eruption. This was followed by other smaller seismic events in the following hours. At 0215 local time the Washington VAAC detected a plume that rose to an altitude of 10.7 km and drifted 65 km SW. Ongoing emissions at 0345 were drifting in two directions, S at 13.7 km altitude and ENE as high as 15.2 km. By 0600 the plumes were observed 250 km from the volcano. Later in the day at 1245 a remnant of the original plume was observed 186 km SSE of the summit, while a new emission at 10.7 km was detected 150 km SW. There was no report of ashfall in the Galapagos Islands, leading IG scientists to infer a low ash content for the plume, although a large SO2 plume was identified by satellite instruments.

At first light, personnel from the Galapagos National Park (PNG) were able to photograph the plume and a lava flow erupting from a fissure on the SSE flank (figure 1). A strong thermal anomaly on the SE flank was also detected in MODIS data analyzed by the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) MODVOLC system early on 25 May, and grew stronger in subsequent days. A very strong SO2 plume, eventually releasing around 200 kt of sulfur dioxide, was also captured by the Aura/OMI satellite SO2 instrument on 25 and 26 May (figure 2).

In the days following the explosion, lava flows descended the NE, E, and SE flanks from a fissure located near the edge of the caldera. IG scientists were able to observe the flowing lava during an overflight on 29 May (figures 3 and 4). They noted a steam plume rising 2-3 km above the volcano with no visible ash, and a strong sulfur odor.

By 28 May the E lava field was approximately 7 km long and flows had reached the ocean. Thermal imaging during the overflight revealed two areas with apparent maximum temperatures (TMA) greater than 500°C, one at the site of the fissure near the caldera rim, and one in the lava field on the E flank. SO2 emissions measured during the overflight were 40.6 kt/day. Satellite images gathered on 5 and 11 June confirmed the source of the lava flows as an arcuate fissure around the SE and E edges of the caldera in a similar location to the 1982 fissure.

Another overflight by IG-EPN scientists on 12 June confirmed the continuing emission of lava flows down the SE and E flanks. The helicopter landed on the north rim of the crater with a view to the south of the lava flow from the 1982 eruption and gases emitting from the active fissure zone (figure 5). IG scientists heard at least five explosions during their visit to the crater rim. Thermal images gathered during the 12 June flight revealed that temperatures of the flows on the SE flank had dropped to less than 100°C, but temperatures at the fissure vent were still greater than 500°C, and steaming lava was observed near the emission zone (figure 6).

On 13 June 2015 satellite imagery showed new thermal anomalies inside the crater, suggesting active lava flowing into the crater in addition to the flows on the E and SE flanks. This was confirmed with visible low-resolution imagery from the WorldView 3 satellite on 16 June which showed an area of likely incandescence near the S rim. An image from the WorldView 1 satellite on 18 June showed a new lava flow on the floor of the caldera (figure 7). IG-EPN scientists combined the thermal data from their overflights with satellite imagery to define the areas of new lava flow through late June (figure 8).

The thermal alert pixels from the MODVOLC system show an evolution of the heat anomalies from the MODIS infrared satellite data that corresponds well with the satellite imagery and ground observations. The first anomalies were recorded on 25 May 2015. Strong multi-pixel anomalies (in some cases, more than 50 per day) were mapped daily until 4 July. After this, they become intermittent, and the daily number dropped below 11, tapering to one or two pixels every few days between 17 July, with the last two observed on 1 August. Two lobes of lava flows to the E and SE can be distinguished on the MODVOLC maps between 25 May and 12 June; anomalies within the crater appear on 13 June, increase to a maximum in the third week of June, and then taper off during July (figure 9).

MODIS data processed by MIROVA recorded a large thermal energy signature between 25 and 30 May, which then decreased for several days before increasing again in the second week of June (figure 10). The MIROVA radiative power data showed that the anomalies continued to decrease, suggestive of cooling lava flows, through November 2015, however, they picked up again early in 2016 (figure 11), indicating some continuing source of heat from the volcano.

No further special reports were issued by the Instituto Geofisico after June 2015 and available evidence suggests active lava flows ceased by late July 2015.

Information Contacts: Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN), Casilla 17-01-2759, Quito, Ecuador (URL: http://www.igepn.edu.ec/); Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB), NOAA/NESDIS OSPO, NOAA Science Center Room 401, 5200 Auth Rd, Camp Springs, MD 20746, USA (URL: http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/atmosphere/vaac/) [Archive at: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/archive.html]; Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), MODVOLC Thermal Alerts System, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Univ. of Hawai'i, 2525 Correa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA (URL: http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/, http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/modisnew.cgi); NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC), Global Sulfur Dioxide Monitoring Page, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, Goddard, Maryland, USA (URL: https://so2.gsfc.nasa.gov/); MIROVA (Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity), a collaborative project between the Universities of Turin and Florence (Italy) supported by the Centre for Volcanic Risk of the Italian Civil Protection Department (URL: http://www.mirovaweb.it/).