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This morning (Tuesday 10 October) we came back to work after a federal
holiday and found these messages from Steve Saunders at
Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO) and Andrew Tupper at the Darwin VAAC.
Many more messages have been posted regarding the resulting gas and ash
clouds and their movements on the Volcaniclouds listserv. (
volcanicclouds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ).
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1. RVO message
VOLCANO INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 7th October 2006
File: A8001/A8002-2
Volcano: Tavurvur, Rabaul, ENB
Period of activity: 12 noon 7th October 2006
Tavurvur, Rabaul, East New Britain
A sustained eruption is taking place. Semi-continuous air blasts are
obvious in Rabaul from with doors slamming and windows rattling. In the
last few minutes this has become rhythmic. Rabaul is receiving
moderately heavy ash fall, to the south and west heavy lapilli are
falling around the south and south-west parts of the caldera these are
~1mm in diameter, with a few lithics up to 3 cm, about a 1cm has been
deposited in the Blue Lagoon-Vulcan sector. Ashfall is occurring in
Kokopo and even Warangoi. Tavurvur is obscured from all directions; in
Rabaul the experience is very similar to the Oct.1996, Jan etc 1997
strombolian eruptions
RSAM (a measure of seismic energy release) is at this time is around
1900 and appears to be dropping. There does not appear to have been any
immediate precursors apart from a small deflation.
Most instruments were off due to constant power problems damaging the
main UPS's.
It is probable that the vigorous activity will die down and another
period of regular vulcanian eruptions will resume.
People are spontaneously evacuating from areas of heavy ash fall and
those exposed to the worst of the air blasts, these are quite alarming.
A Provincial Disaster Committee meeting is to take place at 13:30 this
afternoon at the GRA offices.
For further information, listen to the Provincial Radio in an emergency
contact the officer-in-charge at Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO)
on telephone number 982 1699 or fax 982 1004.
Steve Saunders
2. Darwin VAAC message
A fairly large eruption is currently underway at Rabaul . . . While the
eruption is clearly visible on IR/VIS imagery (to around tropopause
altitudes), we would appreciate any satellite observations of interest
(eg SO2 products etc, hot spot analysis) being forwarded to Darwin VAAC
(darwin.vaac@xxxxxxxxxx) to help define the dispersing cloud.
Observations that don't have large attachments could also be sent to
Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (hguria@xxxxxxxxxxxxx).
Andrew Tupper
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Messages forwarded by
Rick Wunderman
NOTE NEW Email!!! wunderma @ si.edu and gvn @ si.edu
(This address contains spurious, extra spaces in an effort to reduce
spam. Also, my previous address "@volcano" may soon stop accepting
incoming mail)
Editor
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History
10th & Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20560-0119
Web: www.volcano.si.edu
Phone (202) 633 1827
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