Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): Activity has remained relatively calm, with weaker explosions (compared to last week) and no new lava overflows.

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Snow-covered Etna has remained quiet during the past few days. Tremor is currently low.

Tolbachik (Kamchatka, Russia): The eruption continues with no signs of stopping soon. Tremor has decreased a bit, but fluid lava continues to effuse from the southern fissure and the flows advance on the southwestern flank of the volcano. Plumes of steam and some ash continue to reach up to about 13,000 ft (4 km) altitude.

Rabaul (Tavurvur) (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): Tavurvur volcano has erupted yesterday after having been almost completely quiet since August 2011. The following youtube video shows the eruption generating an ash plume rising a few hundreds of meters above the cone:

Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia): For several days, no ash plumes have been observed from the volcano and the thermal hot spot on MODIS hot spot data have decreased. This suggests that the dome growth has slowed down considerably or perhaps even stopped.

Tongariro (North Island, New Zealand): Tongariro's current status remains characterized by strong degassing from the Te Maari craters, the site of eruptions in August and November 2012. At present, seismic activity is low. This activity is likely to go on several years, but Tongariro could produce new eruptions with little or no precursors, New Zealand's GNS writes in its recent update.

White Island (New Zealand): Volcanic unrest at New Zealand's White Island is increasing, GNS volcanologist Brad Scott confirmed during a recent visit of the island on 21 Jan. Mr Scott’s observations confirmed that hydrothermal activity in the small 'hot lake' has increased. The most common activity is "doming-up" of the lake surface by steam/gas, bringing large amounts of sediment to the surface, often with vivid white steam/gas 'flashing' from around the base. Every so often stronger events happened. This activity has been increasing since late 2012 and is now semi-continuous. The elevated activity corresponds to the increased tremor signal recently visible.

Spurr (Cook Inlet, SW Alaska): Seismicity continues to be slightly elevated.

Tanaga (Aleutian Islands): A magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred 31 km at 7 km depth southwest of Tanaga yesterday morning. It is visible as the large event with aftershocks on the attached TAZE seismic record.

Mammoth Mountain (California, USA): Tiny earthquakes (less than mag 1) and some deep low-frequency events continue to occur at normal background levels under Mammoth Mountain.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): No significant changes in activity have occurred. 14 emissions were counted during 20-21 Jan, generating small plumes up to about 800 m height and sometimes small ash content. Glow remains visible at night.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): After several days of relatively weak activity, an increase in lava effusion has been observed. INSIVUMEH reports that the lava flows descending from the dome on the S, SE and NE side are advancing 5-7 meters per day. The SE flow enters the gulley of rio Nimá I. In addition, some weak to moderate explosions were reported during yesterday-today.

Pacaya (Guatemala): No significant changes have occurred. Volcanic seismicity remains elevated, reflecting both internal fluid movements and degassing at the surface.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity remains low and mainly effusive. The lava flow has increased to 800 m length. Only a few explosions occurred since yesterday with ash plumes rising about 300 m.

Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (Central Chile and Argentina): A new (so far small) eruption began yesterday from Caulle volcano, local sources reported. Ash emissions reaching 11,000 ft (3.4 km) altitude were reported. Local news report ash fall ash fall over Puyehué, Entre Lagos and Osorno today.