Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week 10 August – 16 August 2022

Krysuvik-Trolladyngja – Reykjanes Peninsula : The fissure eruption in the Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system that began on 3 August continued in the Meradalir valley during 10-16 August. Lava erupted mainly from a central cone and flowed ESE. According to the Institute of Earth Sciences the effusion rate had notably decreased, from an average of 11 cubic meters per second during 4-13 August to 3-4 cubic meters per second during 13-15 August. A news article stated that the effusion rate significantly decreased during 0530-0630 on 13 August based on information from IMO staff who were investigating the eruption site for new changes. The Institute of Earth Sciences estimated that 10.6 million cubic meters of lava had covered an area of 1.25 square kilometers by 15 August. Data collected during an overflight on 16 August indicated that the effusion rate had further reduced to 2 cubic meters per second during the previous day, though the uncertainty in that estimate was high. On 16 August residents reported seeing a purple-tinged sulfur dioxide gas cloud over the eruption area slowly drifting SW during sunrise.

Ta’u – American Samoa (SW Pacific)  : HVO reported that earthquakes were felt by residents of the Manu?a group of islands in American Samoa beginning on 26 July. Residents of Ofu and Olosega islands began reporting earthquakes on 10 August. Experts from HVO, Pago Pago National Weather Service Office (NWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA-IOC (NOAA-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), International Tsunami Information Center, and USGS National Earthquake Information Center have been working together to respond to the unrest. USGS scientists arrived on the islands and installed two microseismometers, one in Fiti?uta village on Ta?u island on 13 August and the other in Olosega village on 14 August. The instruments began recording about 20 earthquakes per hour. The largest earthquakes, including the felt events, were estimated to be between magnitudes 2 and 3; most of the events were too small to be felt. The exact location and depth of these earthquakes was unknown, due to limited earthquake monitoring equipment, though the data suggested that the events were beneath the Manu?a Islands, likely closer to Ta?u island rather than Ofu-Olosega, and were probably not related to the recently active Vailulu?u seamount. HVO noted that American Samoa’s volcanoes were monitored remotely by satellites and a distant seismic station in Apia, Samoa; the lack of ground-based monitoring stations does not allow for advanced warning of new activity. Both the Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code were categorized as Unassigned due to the lack of a volcano-monitoring network.HVO reported that earthquakes were felt by residents of the Manu?a group of islands in American Samoa beginning on 26 July. Residents of Ofu and Olosega islands began reporting earthquakes on 10 August. Experts from HVO, Pago Pago National Weather Service Office (NWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA-IOC (NOAA-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), International Tsunami Information Center, and USGS National Earthquake Information Center have been working together to respond to the unrest. USGS scientists arrived on the islands and installed two microseismometers, one in Fiti?uta village on Ta?u island on 13 August and the other in Olosega village on 14 August. The instruments began recording about 20 earthquakes per hour. The largest earthquakes, including the felt events, were estimated to be between magnitudes 2 and 3; most of the events were too small to be felt. The exact location and depth of these earthquakes was unknown, due to limited earthquake monitoring equipment, though the data suggested that the events were beneath the Manu?a Islands, likely closer to Ta?u island rather than Ofu-Olosega, and were probably not related to the recently active Vailulu?u seamount. HVO noted that American Samoa’s volcanoes were monitored remotely by satellites and a distant seismic station in Apia, Samoa; the lack of ground-based monitoring stations does not allow for advanced warning of new activity.

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