Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing activity for the week 1 March - 7 March 2023

Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest at Ahyi Seamount continued during 1-7 March. Plumes of discolored water above the seamount were visible in satellite images during 1-2 and 4 March. Pressure sensors on Wake Island, 2,270 km E of Ahyi Seamount, did not detect activity.

Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater and Showa Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 27 February-6 March. Incandescence was visible nightly at Minamidake and during 3-6 March at Showa. Explosions at Minamidake were recorded on 28 February and 1, 3, and 4 March, and non-explosive eruptive events were occasionally recorded. Eruption plumes rose as high as 2.8 km above the Minamidake Crater rim and large blocks were ejected as far as 1.3 km from the vent. Non-explosive eruptive events were occasionally recorded at Showa during 27 February-2 March and four explosions occurred during 3-6 March. Eruption plumes rose as high as 2.7 km above the Showa rim and large blocks were ejected 500-800 m from the vent. Sulfur dioxide emissions were extremely high at 3,500 tons per day on 2 March.

Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 28 February-7 March. Several daily ash, gas, and steam plumes rose as high as 1.5 km above the summit during 28 February-2 March and drifted W and SW. Minor ashfall was reported in Mulaló parish (Colcas-Ticatilín) of the Latacunga canton during the afternoon of 28 February. Steam-and-gas emissions were visible rising as high as 700 m and drifting SW and W during 3-7 March. Minor ashfall was reported in Mulaló parish on 5 March.

Dieng Volcanic Complex - Central Java : On 6 March PVMBG lowered the Alert Level for the Dieng Volcanic Complex to 1 (on a scale of 1-4) due to decreased carbon dioxide emissions. During the first half of January carbon dioxide emissions were elevated at Timbang Crater and then significantly increased in mid-January; recent measurements indicated a decreasing trend. On 22 February a mobile instrument measured 112,000 ppm CO2 at the crater, though the concentration dropped to 9,200 ppm at a distance of less than 10 m from the crater rim. Measurements at the multi-gas station indicated concentration of 1,500-1,900 parts per million (ppm).

Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 23 February-2 March. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 24 and 26-27 February and on 2 March generated ash plumes that rose as high as 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. Ashfall was reported in Severo-Kurilsk on 27 February.

Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA): AVO reported that slow lava effusion at Great Sitkin likely continued during 1-7 March. Satellite images and web camera views were cloudy. Seismicity was low.

Kilauea - Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that the eruption on the floor of Kilauea’s Halema’uma’u Crater continued during 1-6 March but at a decreased rate. The western lake in the basin of the 2021-2022 lava lake remained weakly active; a few lava flows were visible on 1 March. A small amount of lava circulated within the lake and there were intermittent crustal overturns, but the lake was mostly crusted over and the active area got substantially smaller through the week; by 5 March the lake was completely crusted over. Minor lava ooze outs were visible on 6 March, and the eruption had paused by 7 March.

Lewotolok - Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok was ongoing during 1-7 March. White-and-gray plumes rose as high as 400 m above the summit and drifted E and SE on 2 and 7 March. On most of the other days white gas plumes were seen rising as high as 100 m and drifting E and SE.

Marapi - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Marapi (on Sumatra) continued during 1-7 March. On 2 March white steam-and-gas plumes rose 100 m from the summit and drifted NW, SW, and E, and on 4 March white-and-gray plumes rose 200 m and drifted N and NE; weather clouds prevented visual observations on the other days.

Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi (on Java) continued during 24 February-2 March and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced two lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Bebeng and Boyong drainages). No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident in webcam images.

Nevado del Ruiz - Colombia : Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) reported that seismicity at Nevado del Ruiz began increasing on 27 February characterized by events indicting fluid movement. The elevated seismicity was sustained. On 4 March the intensity of the signals intensified and were associated with mostly continuous ash emissions with occasional pulses. Ashfall was reported in Manizales (27 km NW).

Papandayan - Western Java : PVMBG issued a special report based on recent observations of Papandayan. The number of shallow volcanic earthquakes had increased in January and although the numbers fluctuated, low-frequency earthquakes also increased overall during January and February. Webcam images from the camera in the parking area showed incandescence emanating from Kawah Baru during the night on 22 February. A team of PVMBG scientists inspected the crater during 2100-2300 on an unspecified date to identify the source of the incandescence. They observed intense emissions rising from Kawah Baru, heard faint rumbling, and detected a strong sulfur odor, but did not see incandescence. Gas plumes rose 300 m from a solfatara. The color of the lake in Kawah Baru was greenish. Rumbling sounds from both the Kawah Mas and Kawah Baru solfatara complexes varied from weak to strong and gas emissions were sometimes intense. Solfatara temperatures were variable at Kawah Mas, Kawah Manuk, and Kawah Baru with a maximum temperature of 123.8 degrees Celsius. Sulfur dioxide gas concentrations were high at a distance of 500 m from the solfatara complexes. Based on the field observations PVMBG concluded that conditions at Papandayan were relatively normal.

Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 1-7 March. Weather clouds sometimes prevented views of the volcano, though on most days no emissions were visible. On 6 March white-and-gray ash plumes rose as high as 200 m above the summit and drifted N and NE.

Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images during 23 February-2 March. At 1150 on 5 March local time video images showed an ash plume generated by hot avalanches rising 5.5 km a.s.l. (just over 2.2 km above the summit) and drifting 5 km NE.

Takawangha - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that the earthquake swarm at Takawangha that began in November 2022 was ongoing with 120 earthquakes located during 25 February-3 March. The number of events per day was highest on 28 February and 1 March, with over 50 earthquakes located on each of those days. Three earthquakes had magnitudes greater than 3, occurred at shallow depths of less than 6 km, and were located about 6 km E of the volcano. During 3-7 March small daily earthquakes with magnitudes less than M2 occurred in the vicinity of the volcano.