Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 20-26 March 2024

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3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3


From: "Marlow, JoAnna" <MarlowJ@xxxxxx>


Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

20-26 March 2024



Sally Sennert - Weekly Report Editor (kuhns@xxxxxx)

Zac Hastings - contributor (zhastings@xxxxxxxx)

JoAnna Marlow - contributor (jmarlow@xxxxxxxx)

URL: https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMOBRtBphQ$>





New Activity/Unrest: Fernandina, Isla Fernandina (Galapagos)  | Reykjanes,
Reykjanes Peninsula



Ongoing Activity: Aira, Kyushu (Japan)  | Dukono, Halmahera  | Ebeko,
Paramushir Island (Russia)  | Fuego, South-Central Guatemala  | Great
Sitkin, Andreanof Islands (USA)  | Lewotobi, Flores Island  | Lewotolok,
Lembata Island  | Marapi, Central Sumatra  | Merapi, Central Java  | Nevado
del Ruiz, Colombia  | Nyiragongo, DR Congo  | Popocatepetl, Mexico  |
Sabancaya, Peru  | Santa Maria, Southwestern Guatemala  | Semeru, Eastern
Java  | Sheveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)  | Suwanosejima, Ryukyu
Islands (Japan)





The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the
Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's
Volcano Hazards Program. Updated by 2300 UTC every Wednesday, these reports
are preliminary and subject to change as events are studied in more detail.
This is not a comprehensive list of all of Earth's volcanoes erupting
during the week, but rather a summary of activity at volcanoes that meet
criteria discussed in detail in the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section.
Carefully reviewed, detailed reports about recent activity are published in
issues of the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network.



Note that many news agencies do not archive the articles they post on the
Internet, and therefore the links to some sources may not be active. To
obtain information about the cited articles that are no longer available on
the Internet contact the source.







New Activity/Unrest





Fernandina  | Isla Fernandina (Galapagos)  | 0.37°S, 91.55°W  | Summit
elev. 1476 m



Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN) reported that
moderate eruptive activity continued at Fernandina during 20-26 March.
Daily thermal anomalies were detected in satellite images. Sulfur dioxide
(SO2) emissions identified in TROPOMI satellite data totaled 158 tons on 20
March, 720 tons on 24 March, and 790 tons during 25-26 March. Secretaría de
Gestión de Riesgos (SGR) maintained the Alert Level at White (the lowest
level on a four-color scale).



Geologic Summary. Fernandina, the most active of Galápagos volcanoes and
the one closest to the Galápagos mantle plume, is a basaltic shield volcano
with a deep 5 x 6.5 km summit caldera. The volcano displays the classic
"overturned soup bowl" profile of Galápagos shield volcanoes. Its caldera
is elongated in a NW-SE direction and formed during several episodes of
collapse. Circumferential fissures surround the caldera and were
instrumental in growth of the volcano. Reporting has been poor in this
uninhabited western end of the archipelago, and even a 1981 eruption was
not witnessed at the time. In 1968 the caldera floor dropped 350 m
following a major explosive eruption. Subsequent eruptions, mostly from
vents located on or near the caldera boundary faults, have produced lava
flows inside the caldera as well as those in 1995 that reached the coast
from a SW-flank vent. Collapse of a nearly 1 km3 section of the east
caldera wall during an eruption in 1988 produced a debris-avalanche deposit
that covered much of the caldera floor and absorbed the caldera lake.



Sources: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN)
http://www.igepn.edu.ec/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.igepn.edu.ec/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNN3skpvw$>
;

Secretaría de Gestión de Riesgos (SGR) http://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPM0wgwmQ$>





Reykjanes  | Reykjanes Peninsula  | 63.817°N, 22.717°W  | Summit elev. 140 m



According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), eruptive activity
along the fissure that opened on 16 March began to stabilize on 20 March,
with vents remaining in the same locations as previous days where cones had
been built. The lava flows traveled S on top of older flows from the
previous episodes in December 2023 and January-February 2024. Little or no
change was observed at the flow fronts near Suðurstrandarvegur (the
southern coast road) and Svartsengi. Lava began to flow into Melhólsnáma
mine during 23-24 March, eventually filling it. Seismicity remained low.
Early SO2 flux measurements from 17 March were up to 50 kg/s, but
preliminary results from a more recent measurement indicated that the rate
had decreased substantially. On the morning of 20 March, the National Land
Survey of Iceland and the Institute of Natural History conducted aerial
photography flights. Based on image analysis, an average discharge rate of
14.5 cubic meters per second during 17-20 March was estimated, and the new
lava field was about 5.58 square kilometers with a volume of 20.9 million
cubic meters. By 25 March the eruptive activity had decreased and possibly
ceased at the smaller cones. The cones that remained active continued to
grow, and the main lava flow extended south and bent westward. Seismicity
and volcanic tremor gradually decreased. GPS monitoring continued to detect
inflation at Svartsengi, but at a slower rate. High levels of SO2 were
measured in Höfn and Grindavík over the past few days, and IMO warned of
risk associated with gas emissions.



Geologic Summary. The Reykjanes volcanic system at the SW tip of the
Reykjanes Peninsula, where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rises above sea level,
comprises a broad area of postglacial basaltic crater rows and small shield
volcanoes. The submarine Reykjaneshryggur volcanic system is contiguous
with and is considered part of the Reykjanes volcanic system, which is the
westernmost of a series of four closely-spaced en-echelon fissure systems
that extend diagonally across the Reykjanes Peninsula. Most of the
subaerial part of the system (also known as the Reykjanes/Svartsengi
volcanic system) is covered by Holocene lavas. Subaerial eruptions have
occurred in historical time during the 13th century at several locations on
the NE-SW-trending fissure system, and numerous submarine eruptions dating
back to the 12th century have been observed during historical time, some of
which have formed ephemeral islands. Basaltic rocks of probable Holocene
age have been recovered during dredging operations, and tephra deposits
from earlier Holocene eruptions are preserved on the nearby Reykjanes
Peninsula.



Sources: Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) http://en.vedur.is/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://en.vedur.is/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPtxPq85w$>
;

Almannavarnadeild ríkislögreglustjóra (National Commissioner of the
Icelandic Police and Department of Civil Protection and Emergency
Management) https://www.almannavarnir.is/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.almannavarnir.is/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPc90cpBA$>





Ongoing Activity





Aira  | Kyushu (Japan)  | 31.5772°N, 130.6589°E  | Summit elev. 1117 m



JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater (Aira Calderaâ??s
Sakurajima volcano) during 18-25 March. An explosion at 1952 on 18 March
produced an ash plume that rose 1.2 km above the crater rim and drifted SE
and ejected large blocks 800-1,100 m from the vent. Very small eruptions
and nighttime incandescence were observed at the summit crater during other
days of the report period. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level
scale), and the public was warned to stay 2 km away from both craters.



Geologic Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay
contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active.
Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of
the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera
was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the caldera, along
with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about
13,000 years ago on the southern rim and built an island that was joined to
the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of
1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago,
after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent eruptions since
the 8th century have deposited ash on the city of Kagoshima, located across
Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest recorded eruption took
place during 1471-76.



Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMoEQi1dg$>





Dukono  | Halmahera  | 1.6992°N, 127.8783°E  | Summit elev. 1273 m



Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that Dukono
continued to erupt during 20-26 March. Gray-and-white emissions rose as
high as 450 m above the summit. The Alert Level remained at Level 2 (on a
scale of 1â??4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 3-km
exclusion zone.



Geologic Summary. Reports from this remote volcano in northernmost
Halmahera are rare, but Dukono has been one of Indonesia's most active
volcanoes. More-or-less continuous explosive eruptions, sometimes
accompanied by lava flows, have occurred since 1933. During a major
eruption in 1550 CE, a lava flow filled in the strait between Halmahera and
the N-flank Gunung Mamuya cone. This complex volcano presents a broad, low
profile with multiple summit peaks and overlapping craters. Malupang
Wariang, 1 km SW of the summit crater complex, contains a 700 x 570 m
crater that has also been active during historical time.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://vsi.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNDVD_b7Q$>





Ebeko  | Paramushir Island (Russia)  | 50.686°N, 156.014°E  | Summit elev.
1103 m



KVERT reported that moderate explosive activity was ongoing at Ebeko during
14-21 March. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir
Island, about 7 km E), during 20-21 March explosions generated ash plumes
that rose as high as 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. On other days
the volcano was quiet, or weather clouds prevented satellite views. The
Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the third level on a four-color
scale). Dates are UTC; specific events are in local time where noted.



Geologic Summary. The flat-topped summit of the central cone of Ebeko
volcano, one of the most active in the Kuril Islands, occupies the northern
end of Paramushir Island. Three summit craters located along a SSW-NNE line
form Ebeko volcano proper, at the northern end of a complex of five
volcanic cones. Blocky lava flows extend west from Ebeko and SE from the
neighboring Nezametnyi cone. The eastern part of the southern crater
contains strong solfataras and a large boiling spring. The central crater
is filled by a lake about 20 m deep whose shores are lined with steaming
solfataras; the northern crater lies across a narrow, low barrier from the
central crater and contains a small, cold crescentic lake. Historical
activity, recorded since the late-18th century, has been restricted to
small-to-moderate explosive eruptions from the summit craters. Intense
fumarolic activity occurs in the summit craters, on the outer flanks of the
cone, and in lateral explosion craters.



Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPMrfTqgg$>





Fuego  | South-Central Guatemala  | 14.473°N, 90.88°W  | Summit elev. 3763 m



INSIVUMEH reported that eruptive activity continued at Fuego during 20-26
March. Explosions were recorded daily, averaging 3-12 per hour each day.
The explosions generated ash and gas plumes that rose as high as 1 km above
the crater rim and drifted as far as 30 km in multiple directions;
ballistics occasionally fell as far as 2 km away. Frequent block avalanches
caused by the explosions descended various drainages, including the Ceniza
(SSW), Seca (W), Taniluyá (SW), Santa Teresa (W), and Las Lajas (SE), and
sometimes reached vegetated areas. Incandescent material was ejected
100-300 m above the summit on 22 and 24 March. Weak rumbling sounds and
shock waves were frequently reported. On 21 March ashfall was reported in
Panimache (8 km SW), Morelia (9 km SW), and Santa Sofía (12 km SW).



Geologic Summary. Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active
volcanoes, is also one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking
Guatemala's former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta,
lies between Fuego and Acatenango to the north. Construction of Meseta
dates back to about 230,000 years and continued until the late Pleistocene
or early Holocene. Collapse of Meseta may have produced the massive
Escuintla debris-avalanche deposit, which extends about 50 km onto the
Pacific coastal plain. Growth of the modern Fuego volcano followed,
continuing the southward migration of volcanism that began at the mostly
andesitic Acatenango. Eruptions at Fuego have become more mafic with time,
and most historical activity has produced basaltic rocks. Frequent vigorous
historical eruptions have been recorded since the onset of the Spanish era
in 1524, and have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional
pyroclastic flows and lava flows.



Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMWUOWQ8w$>





Great Sitkin  | Andreanof Islands (USA)  | 52.076°N, 176.13°W  | Summit
elev. 1740 m



AVO reported that slow lava effusion continued in Great Sitkinâ??s summit
crater during 20-26 March. Weather clouds obscured or partly obscured
satellite and webcam views during most of the week. A radar satellite image
acquired during 19-20 March showed advancement of the active NW lava flow
and uplift of the center of the lava dome above the vent. Seismicity was
low and a few small earthquakes were recorded each day. The Volcano Alert
Level remained at Watch (the third level on a four-level scale) and the
Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the third color on a four-color
scale).



Geologic Summary. The Great Sitkin volcano forms much of the northern side
of Great Sitkin Island. A younger volcano capped by a small, 0.8 x 1.2 km
ice-filled summit caldera was constructed within a large late-Pleistocene
or early Holocene scarp formed by massive edifice failure that truncated an
older edifice and produced a submarine debris avalanche. Deposits from this
and an even older debris avalanche from a source to the south cover a broad
area of the ocean floor north of the volcano. The summit lies along the
eastern rim of the younger collapse scarp. Deposits from an earlier
caldera-forming eruption of unknown age cover the flanks of the island to a
depth up to 6 m. The small younger caldera was partially filled by lava
domes emplaced in 1945 and 1974, and five small older flank lava domes, two
of which lie on the coastline, were constructed along northwest- and
NNW-trending lines. Hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles occur near the
head of Big Fox Creek, south of the volcano. Eruptions have been recorded
since the late-19th century.



Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
https://avo.alaska.edu/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://avo.alaska.edu/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMO1tEF62w$>





Lewotobi  | Flores Island  | 8.542°S, 122.775°E  | Summit elev. 1703 m



Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that white
emissions rose as high as 100 m above the summit of Lewotobi Laki-laki
during 20-26 March. Some rockfall events were detected by the seismic
network. There were no visual observations of renewed lava effusion, and no
reports of lava flow movement since 20 February. The Alert Level remained
at Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside
of the hazard zone, defined as a 2-km radius around the crater, the 3-km
NNE sector expansion, and the 5-km NE sector expansion; both sector
expansions extend from the established 2-km hazard radius.



Geologic Summary. The Lewotobi edifice in eastern Flores Island is composed
of the two adjacent Lewotobi Laki-laki and Lewotobi Perempuan
stratovolcanoes (the "husband and wife"). Their summits are less than 2 km
apart along a NW-SE line. The conical Laki-laki to the NW has been
frequently active during the 19th and 20th centuries, while the taller and
broader Perempuan has had observed eruptions in 1921 and 1935. Small lava
domes have grown during the 20th century in both of the summit craters,
which are open to the north. A prominent cone, Iliwokar, occurs on the E
flank of Perampuan.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://vsi.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNDVD_b7Q$>





Lewotolok  | Lembata Island  | 8.274°S, 123.508°E  | Summit elev. 1431 m



Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported continuing
activity at Lewotolok during 20-26 March. White-and-gray emissions were
observed daily; plumes rose as high as 1 km above the summit. Seismicity
included non-harmonic tremor episodes, frequent gas emission signals, and
6-18 daily eruption events. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of
1-4) and the public was warned to stay 2-km away from the vent and 3-km
away from the summit crater on the S and SE flank.



Geologic Summary. The Lewotolok (or Lewotolo) stratovolcano occupies the
eastern end of an elongated peninsula extending north into the Flores Sea,
connected to Lembata (formerly Lomblen) Island by a narrow isthmus. It is
symmetrical when viewed from the north and east. A small cone with a
130-m-wide crater constructed at the SE side of a larger crater forms the
volcano's high point. Many lava flows have reached the coastline. Eruptions
recorded since 1660 have consisted of explosive activity from the summit
crater.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://vsi.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNDVD_b7Q$>





Marapi  | Central Sumatra  | 0.38°S, 100.474°E  | Summit elev. 2885 m



PVMBG reported that eruptive activity at Marapi (on Sumatra) was ongoing
during 20-26 March. White and gray ash plumes rose 200-500 m above the
summit and drifted multiple directions on 20 and 24 March. White steam and
gas plumes rose 200-250 m above the summit and drifted N, NE, and NW on 21
and 25 March. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and the
public was warned to stay 4.5 km away from the active crater.



Geologic Summary. Gunung Marapi, not to be confused with the better-known
Merapi volcano on Java, is Sumatra's most active volcano. This massive
complex stratovolcano rises 2,000 m above the Bukittinggi Plain in the
Padang Highlands. A broad summit contains multiple partially overlapping
summit craters constructed within the small 1.4-km-wide Bancah caldera. The
summit craters are located along an ENE-WSW line, with volcanism migrating
to the west. More than 50 eruptions, typically consisting of
small-to-moderate explosive activity, have been recorded since the end of
the 18th century; no lava flows outside the summit craters have been
reported in historical time.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://vsi.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNDVD_b7Q$>





Merapi  | Central Java  | 7.54°S, 110.446°E  | Summit elev. 2910 m



BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi (on Java) continued during
15-21 March. Seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced
59 lava avalanches that descended the SW flank as far as 1.8 km.
Morphological changes to the SW lava dome caused by lava avalanches were
identified in images from a drone survey on 21 March. The Alert Level
remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay 3-7 km
away from the summit, based on location.



Geologic Summary. Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, lies in
one of the world's most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape
immediately north of the major city of Yogyakarta. It is the youngest and
southernmost of a volcanic chain extending NNW to Ungaran volcano. Growth
of Old Merapi during the Pleistocene ended with major edifice collapse
perhaps about 2,000 years ago, leaving a large arcuate scarp cutting the
eroded older Batulawang volcano. Subsequent growth of the steep-sided Young
Merapi edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent activity, began
SW of the earlier collapse scarp. Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying
growth and collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have
devastated cultivated lands on the western-to-southern flanks and caused
many fatalities.



Source: Balai Penyelidikan dan Pengembangan Teknologi Kebencanaan Geologi
(BPPTKG) http://www.merapi.bgl.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.merapi.bgl.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMN939hmSw$>





Nevado del Ruiz  | Colombia  | 4.892°N, 75.324°W  | Summit elev. 5279 m



Servicio Geológico Colombianoâ??s (SGC) Observatorio Vulcanológico y
Sismológico de Manizales reported that eruptive activity at Nevado del Ruiz
continued during 19-25 March. Seismicity associated with fluid movement
decreased in both the number of events recorded and seismic energy
released; most of these signals were associated with pulsating emissions of
ash and gas. At 0516 on 22 March a seismic signal was associated with an
ash emission that rose 1,100 m above the crater and drifted 1,400 m to the
SW and W; this was the highest intensity signal this year. Several ash
emissions were seen with a webcam. Seismicity associated with rock
fracturing decreased in the number of events but increased in seismic
energy released. These earthquakes at depths of 1-6 km below the summit
were primarily located on the E flank, 3-5 km from the Arenas Crater, with
additional events in other areas within 10 km of the crater. The largest
event of the period was M 2.0 at 1217 on 24 March. Several thermal
anomalies on the crater floor were identified in satellite data. The Alert
Level remained at Yellow (the second level on a four-level scale), and the
public was warned to stay out of the restricted areas around Arenas Crater.



Geologic Summary. Nevado del Ruiz is a broad, glacier-covered volcano in
central Colombia that covers more than 200 km2. Three major edifices,
composed of andesitic and dacitic lavas and andesitic pyroclastics, have
been constructed since the beginning of the Pleistocene. The modern cone
consists of a broad cluster of lava domes built within the caldera of an
older edifice. The 1-km-wide, 240-m-deep Arenas crater occupies the summit.
The prominent La Olleta pyroclastic cone located on the SW flank may also
have been active in historical time. Steep headwalls of massive landslides
cut the flanks. Melting of its summit icecap during historical eruptions,
which date back to the 16th century, has resulted in devastating lahars,
including one in 1985 that was South America's deadliest eruption.



Source: Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC)
https://www2.sgc.gov.co/volcanes/index.html
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www2.sgc.gov.co/volcanes/index.html__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPmyfqaQg$>





Nyiragongo  | DR Congo  | 1.52°S, 29.25°E  | Summit elev. 3470 m



Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG) reported that the sulfur dioxide
(SO2) flux at Nyiragongo decreased slightly but remained at moderate levels
during 18-23 March. The Munigi station measured a small increase in carbon
dioxide (CO2) concentrations from fractures in the S area. Additionally,
CO2 concentrations in the â??mazukuâ??, or lowland areas located in the W area
of the city of Goma, remained lethal. The Alert Level remained at Yellow.



Geologic Summary. The Nyiragongo stratovolcano contained a lava lake in its
deep summit crater that was active for half a century before draining
catastrophically through its outer flanks in 1977. The steep slopes
contrast to the low profile of its neighboring shield volcano, Nyamuragira.
Benches in the steep-walled, 1.2-km-wide summit crater mark levels of
former lava lakes, which have been observed since the late-19th century.
Two older stratovolcanoes, Baruta and Shaheru, are partially overlapped by
Nyiragongo on the north and south. About 100 cones are located primarily
along radial fissures south of Shaheru, east of the summit, and along a
NE-SW zone extending as far as Lake Kivu. Many cones are buried by
voluminous lava flows that extend long distances down the flanks, which is
characterized by the eruption of foiditic rocks. The extremely fluid 1977
lava flows caused many fatalities, as did lava flows that inundated
portions of the major city of Goma in January 2002.



Source: Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG) https://ovg-rdc.cd/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ovg-rdc.cd/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMOISydBaA$>





Popocatepetl  | Mexico  | 19.023°N, 98.622°W  | Summit elev. 5393 m



Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres (CENAPRED) reported that
eruptive activity continued at Popocatépetl during 20-26 March. Daily
activity consisted of 14-69 long-period (LP) events that were accompanied
by emissions of gas, steam, and small quantities of ash. Additionally,
high-frequency and variable amplitude episodes of tremor were registered;
duration of episodes ranged from approximately 2.9 to 17.6 hours per day.
Continuous gas, steam, and sometimes ash emissions were observed during the
mornings; plumes dispersed towards the NE and ENE. Centro Nacional de
Comunicación y Operación de Protección Civil (CENACOM) reported light
ashfall in multiple municipalities within the state of Puebla during 20-26
March, and within the state of Tlaxcala during 25-26 March.



Geologic Summary. Volcán Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for
smoking mountain, rises 70 km SE of Mexico City to form North America's
2nd-highest volcano. The glacier-clad stratovolcano contains a
steep-walled, 400 x 600 m wide crater. The generally symmetrical volcano is
modified by the sharp-peaked Ventorrillo on the NW, a remnant of an earlier
volcano. At least three previous major cones were destroyed by
gravitational failure during the Pleistocene, producing massive
debris-avalanche deposits covering broad areas to the south. The modern
volcano was constructed south of the late-Pleistocene to Holocene El Fraile
cone. Three major Plinian eruptions, the most recent of which took place
about 800 CE, have occurred since the mid-Holocene, accompanied by
pyroclastic flows and voluminous lahars that swept basins below the
volcano. Frequent historical eruptions, first recorded in Aztec codices,
have occurred since Pre-Columbian time.



Source: Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED)
https://www.gob.mx/cenapred
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.gob.mx/cenapred__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMapj6M0Q$>





Sabancaya  | Peru  | 15.787°S, 71.857°W  | Summit elev. 5960 m



Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported that moderate levels of
eruptive activity continued at Sabancaya during 20-26 March. The monitoring
network recorded a range of 5-30 explosions per day. Explosions generated
ash plumes that rose as high as 1.1 km above the summit crater and drifted
less than 10 km in multiple directions; plume heights were not visible
during 24-26 March. Seismic signals associated with the movement of magma
and gases were registered; totaled counts ranged between 16 and 76 events
per day. Thermal anomalies over the lava dome in the summit crater were
identified in satellite images almost daily but were not detected during
the night of 22 March. Deformation monitoring data indicated continued
slight inflation near the Hualca Hualca sector (4 km N). The Alert Level
remained at Orange (the third level on a four-color scale) and the public
was reminded to stay at least 12 km away from the summit crater in all
directions.



Geologic Summary. Sabancaya, located in the saddle NE of Ampato and SE of
Hualca Hualca volcanoes, is the youngest of these volcanic centers and the
only one to have erupted in historical time. The oldest of the three,
Nevado Hualca Hualca, is of probable late-Pliocene to early Pleistocene
age. The name Sabancaya (meaning "tongue of fire" in the Quechua language)
first appeared in records in 1595 CE, suggesting activity prior to that
date. Holocene activity has consisted of Plinian eruptions followed by
emission of voluminous andesitic and dacitic lava flows, which form an
extensive apron around the volcano on all sides but the south. Records of
historical eruptions date back to 1750.



Source: Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) http://www.igp.gob.pe/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.igp.gob.pe/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMeaSRkIw$>





Santa Maria  | Southwestern Guatemala  | 14.757°N, 91.552°W  | Summit elev.
3745 m



INSIVUMEH reported that eruptive activity continued at Santa Mariaâ??s
Santiaguito lava dome complex during 20-26 March with a lava extrusion and
avalanches at the Caliente dome. Incandescence from the dome was visible
during most nights and early mornings, and occasional incandescence was
also present along the upper WSW flank lava flow. Daily explosions
generated ash, gas, and steam plumes that rose as high as 900 m above the
summit and drifted multiple directions on most days, and on 20 March rose
2.2 km above the summit. The explosions occurred at rates between 1 and 7
per hour that generated block avalanches on the domeâ??s flanks and
occasional short pyroclastic flows that descended multiple flanks.
Sometimes the block avalanches were accompanied by rumbling sounds. On 21
and 22 March ashfall was reported in Loma Linda (7 km W), San Marcos
Palajunoj (8 km SW) and other communities in this area; ash caused hazy
conditions around the volcano on 24 and 25 March.



Geologic Summary. Symmetrical, forest-covered Santa María volcano is part
of a chain of large stratovolcanoes that rise above the Pacific coastal
plain of Guatemala. The sharp-topped, conical profile is cut on the SW
flank by a 1.5-km-wide crater. The oval-shaped crater extends from just
below the summit to the lower flank, and was formed during a catastrophic
eruption in 1902. The renowned Plinian eruption of 1902 that devastated
much of SW Guatemala followed a long repose period after construction of
the large basaltic-andesite stratovolcano. The massive dacitic Santiaguito
lava-dome complex has been growing at the base of the 1902 crater since
1922. Compound dome growth at Santiaguito has occurred episodically from
four vents, with activity progressing E towards the most recent, Caliente.
Dome growth has been accompanied by almost continuous minor explosions,
with periodic lava extrusion, larger explosions, pyroclastic flows, and
lahars.



Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMWUOWQ8w$>





Semeru  | Eastern Java  | 8.108°S, 112.922°E  | Summit elev. 3657 m



PVMBG reported that eruptive activity continued at Semeru during 20-26
March. During the week, 14 eruptive events were recorded by the seismic
network, and ash plumes rose 500-1,200 m above the summit and drifted in
multiple directions. During 20 and 23-24 March white and gray emissions
rose 50-200 m above the summit and drifted multiple directions. On 25 March
white emissions rose 100-200 m above the summit and drifted SW, W, and NW.
The Alert Level remained at 3 (the third highest level on a scale of 1-4).
The public was warned to stay at least 5 km away from the summit in all
directions, 13 km from the summit to the SE, 500 m from the banks of the
Kobokan drainage as far as 17 km from the summit, and to avoid other
drainages including the Bang, Kembar, and Sat, due to lahar, avalanche, and
pyroclastic flow hazards.



Geologic Summary. Semeru, the highest volcano on Java, and one of its most
active, lies at the southern end of a volcanic massif extending north to
the Tengger caldera. The steep-sided volcano, also referred to as Mahameru
(Great Mountain), rises above coastal plains to the south. Gunung Semeru
was constructed south of the overlapping Ajek-ajek and Jambangan calderas.
A line of lake-filled maars was constructed along a N-S trend cutting
through the summit, and cinder cones and lava domes occupy the eastern and
NE flanks. Summit topography is complicated by the shifting of craters from
NW to SE. Frequent 19th and 20th century eruptions were dominated by
small-to-moderate explosions from the summit crater, with occasional lava
flows and larger explosive eruptions accompanied by pyroclastic flows that
have reached the lower flanks of the volcano.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://vsi.esdm.go.id/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMNDVD_b7Q$>





Sheveluch  | Central Kamchatka (Russia)  | 56.653°N, 161.36°E  | Summit
elev. 3283 m



KVERT reported that eruptive activity at Sheveluch continued with a thermal
anomaly identified in satellite images during 17-21 March. Strong gas and
steam emissions were observed at the Karan dome. On 21 March plumes of
resuspended ash extended 65 km to the SE. The Aviation Color Code remained
at Orange (the third level on a four-color scale). Dates are based on UTC
times; specific events are in local time where noted.



Geologic Summary. The high, isolated massif of Sheveluch volcano (also
spelled Shiveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya
volcano group. The 1,300 km3 andesitic volcano is one of Kamchatka's
largest and most active volcanic structures, with at least 60 large
eruptions during the Holocene. The summit of roughly 65,000-year-old Stary
Shiveluch is truncated by a broad 9-km-wide late-Pleistocene caldera
breached to the south. Many lava domes occur on its outer flanks. The
Molodoy Shiveluch lava dome complex was constructed during the Holocene
within the large open caldera; Holocene lava dome extrusion also took place
on the flanks of Stary Shiveluch. Widespread tephra layers from these
eruptions have provided valuable time markers for dating volcanic events in
Kamchatka. Frequent collapses of dome complexes, most recently in 1964,
have produced debris avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of
the breached caldera.



Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMPMrfTqgg$>





Suwanosejima  | Ryukyu Islands (Japan)  | 29.638°N, 129.714°E  | Summit
elev. 796 m



Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the eruption at
Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 20-26 March. Crater
incandescence was observed nightly in infrared camera images. A total of
seven explosions were registered by the seismic network; resulting ash
plumes rose up to 1.3 km above the crater rim before drifting N and SE and
ejected large ballistic projectiles (20-30 cm in diameter) as far as 600 m
away from the center of the crater. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a
5-level scale) and the public was warned to stay at least 1-km away from
the crater.



Geologic Summary. The 8-km-long island of Suwanosejima in the northern
Ryukyu Islands consists of an andesitic stratovolcano with two active
summit craters. The summit is truncated by a large breached crater
extending to the sea on the E flank that was formed by edifice collapse.
One of Japan's most frequently active volcanoes, it was in a state of
intermittent Strombolian activity from Otake, the NE summit crater, between
1949 and 1996, after which periods of inactivity lengthened. The largest
recorded eruption took place in 1813-14, when thick scoria deposits covered
residential areas, and the SW crater produced two lava flows that reached
the western coast. At the end of the eruption the summit of Otake
collapsed, forming a large debris avalanche and creating an open collapse
scarp extending to the eastern coast. The island remained uninhabited for
about 70 years after the 1813-1814 eruption. Lava flows reached the eastern
coast of the island in 1884. Only about 50 people live on the island.



Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!cS8QriuGP5IakVTgFifxdkXTaQVNXLxmL68bKWOBQGZ4N64ZZjnnqGNYA3AkzhOy3SQjl71CuqCMtRcZpMMoEQi1dg$>



3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3



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End of Volcano Digest - 26 Mar 2024 to 28 Mar 2024 (#2024-29)
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