Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Reventador (Ecuador): Activity remains at high levels. IG reports strong tremor and explosion signals. The current webcam image shows only a steam plume rising from the summit, but it is unclear if the lava flow seen on 22 Jan is still active.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): A new phase of activity could be in the making. In its latest special bulletin, IG reports an increase of earthquakes, steaming and some minor ash emissions that have taken place during the past days. The remaining parameters monitored by the Geophysical Institute have not shown significant variations. However, the increased seismicity associated with the surface activity indicate a potential change in the volcano's behaviour, and an increase in activity in the coming days or hours is possible. Based on past episodes of activity, such a change into a new eruptive phase could occur both progressively and suddenly.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Explosive activity continues to resume. 2 explosions occurred today at 5:45 and 6:03 am local time and produced ash plumes rising about 800 m. INSIVUMEH reports that such explosions occur at a rate of approximately 2 per hour.

Fuego (Guatemala): There have been no explosions or ash emissions during the past 24 hours. AActivity remains low although the lava flow towards the Taniluya canyon is still active, 600 m long today. Incandescent blocks rolling from its front reach the edge of the vegetation.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity continued to increase. No less than 137 emissions, twice as many as during the previous day, were counted during 25-26 Jan. A large SO2 plume is drifting from the volcano.

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): A thermal hot spot is visible at the summit and suggests that some activity continues.

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): A stronger than usual explosion produced an ash plume spotted on satellite data at 7,000 ft (2.1) km altitude today (VAAC Darwin).

Rabaul (Tavurvur) (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): A weakly enriched SO2 plume is visible at Rabaul today. Weak eruptive activity at Tavurvur probably continues.

Etna (Sicily, Italy): The volcano, now beautifully covered in snow, has gradually quieted (for now) after the recent short episodes of activity from Bocca Nuova and New SE crater.

The eruption at Tolbachik in Kamchatka continues with little changes, as well as activity at the other active volcanoes there.

Tanaga (Aleutian Islands): Seismic activity is low. Some small local earthquakes including some aftershocks from the 21 Jan 5.1 quake are still occurring.

Katmai (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Seismic activity has increased. Pulses of small earthquake swarms are visible at the recent seismograms.

Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): Satellite images continue to show elevated surface temperatures at the summit of Cleveland, but there has not been any other activity reported. (AVO)