Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week 11 January - 17 January 2023

Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest at Ahyi Seamount was occasionally detected during 11-17 January. Pressure sensors on Wake Island (2,270 km E of Ahyi) were back online and recorded possible explosions during 11-12 and 15-16 January. One weak signal, possibly from the seamount, was recorded during 16-17 January. No activity was visible in clear or partly cloudy satellite images.

Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater during 9-16 January. Crater incandescence was visible nightly. Eruptive events at 0210 on 9 January and 1837 on 14 January produced plumes that rose 1 km above the crater rim. Sulfur dioxide emissions were high at 2,100 tons per day on 13 January.

Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 11-17 January, characterized by daily steam-and-gas emissions often with variable content. On 11 January ash plumes rose as high as 200 m above the crater rim and drifted W and SW. Minor ashfall was noted in areas of Mulaló, Macaló Grande, San Antonio, San Ramón (127 km W), Ticatilín (15 km SW), and MAE Norte (18 km N), and a sulfur odor was noted in Ticatilín and Control Caspi (20 km WSW) of the Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. On 12 January steam, gas, and ash plumes rose as high as 1 km and drifted SE, SW, and W. On 13 January a dense ash plume rose 2 km and drifted NE, causing ashfall in Ticatilín; other ash plumes rose 1 km and drifted W and N that same day. Steam-and-gas emissions rose 300-700 m during 14-17 January and drifted E, SE, and SW. Ash-and-gas plumes rose 1 km on 17 January and drifted W and SW; minor ashfall was reported in Mulaló and San Juan de Pastocalle (20 km WSW).

Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 5-12 January. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 6 and 9-11 January generated ash plumes that rose as high as 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and ESE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 10 January.

Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that radar images acquired on 13 and 15 January confirmed ongoing slow lava effusion at Great Sitkin; effusion likely continued through 17 January. Slightly elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images during 10-11 January and a few small earthquakes were detected on most days during 10-17 January. Weather clouds sometimes obscured satellite and webcam views.

Karymsky - Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT lowered the Aviation Color Code for Karymsky to Green (the lowest level on a four-color scale) on 12 January, noting that ash explosions were last detected on 7 August 2022. A minor thermal anomaly visible in satellite images and moderate levels of gas-and-steam emissions persisted. Dates are based on UTC times; specific events are in local time where noted.

Kerinci - Central Sumatra: The eruption at Kerinci was ongoing during 10-17 January. Daily ash plumes that were brown or gray and mostly dense rose generally 400-900 m above the summit and drifted N, NE, and W during 10-14 January. At 1810 on 12 January a dense gray ash plume rose 1.2 km above the summit and drifted NW. Only white plumes were occasionally visible rising from the summit during 15-17 January.

Krakatau - Sunda Strait : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Anak Krakatau continued. At 1754 on 11 January a dense gray ash plume rose around 200 m above the summit and drifted NE, followed by dense black ash plumes at 2241 and 2325 on 11 January and at 0046 on 12 January that rose 200-300 m and drifted NE.

Lewotolok - Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that at 0747 on 14 January an eruption at Lewotolok produced a white-and-gray ash plume that rose around 400 m above the summit and drifted E. At 2055 on 16 January a white-and-gray ash plume of variable density rose around 400 m above the summit and drifted SE. A photo posted with the report showed incandescence emanating from the summit, possibly from ejected material.

Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 6-12 January and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced three lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.2 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage). Avalanche sounds were heard on six occasions. No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident in webcam images.

San Miguel - Eastern El Salvador : On 14 January MARN reported that a gradual decrease in activity to low levels had been recorded at San Miguel since 1 December 2022. Sulfur dioxide emissions were below the baseline of 300 tons per day and no deformation was detected. Minor emissions and occasional explosions of gas and ash continued to be recorded by the seismic network and were occasionally visible. At 0817 on 14 January a gas-and-ash emission was seen in webcam images rising just over the crater rim.

Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 3-10 January with daily ash plumes of variable densities rising above the summit. At 0737 on 10 January white-and-brown ash plumes rose 500 m above the summit and drifted N. A gray-to-brown ash plume at 0532 on 11 January rose 200 m and drifted N. White-to-gray ash plumes were visible at 0552, 0621, and 0710 on 11 January, and at 0629 and 0723 on 12 January rising 200-500 m above the summit and drifting N, W, and SW. At 0525 on 13 January a white-and-brown ash plume rose 700 m and drifted S. A white-to-gray ash plume rose 500 m and drifted SW at 0627 and a dense ash plume rose 1 km and drifted SW at 0802. At 0502 on 14 January a dense white-and-gray ash plume rose 700 m and drifted SW. Multiple white, gray, and brown ash plumes on 15 January rose as high as 400 m and drifted N, NE, and SW. Four gray ash plumes visible on 16 January (at 0558, 1613, 1627, and 1655) rose as high as 700 m and drifted NW, N, and NE.

Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 5-12 January was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images, and minor ash plumes from explosions and lava-dome collapses drifted 92 km W on 7 January.

Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 9-16 January. No explosions were recorded, though during 9-13 January eruption plumes rose as high as 1.1 km above the crater rim and blocks were ejected as far as 300 m from the vent. Ashfall was occasionally reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW). Eruption plumes rose as high has 700 m during 13-16 January.

Villarrica - Central Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that the eruption at Villarrica was ongoing during 11-17 January. Strombolian explosions and lava fountaining from the vent on the crater floor were frequently visible in webcam images. Explosions during 11-12 January ejected material 80 m high and as far as 250 m onto the NE flank. The number of explosions increased during 14-15 January, some ejecting material up to 150 m above the crater rim. POVI scientists counted about 70 instances of lava fountaining from 2130 on 14 January to 0600 on 15 January. Material ejected by the explosions stayed within or near the crater during 16-17 January.