Akan volcano
caldera 1499 m / 4,918 ft
Hokkaido, Japan, 43.38°N / 144.01°E
Current status: restless (2 out of 5)
Akan webcams / live data
Akan volcano books
Hokkaido, Japan, 43.38°N / 144.01°E
Current status: restless (2 out of 5)
Akan webcams / live data
Akan volcano books
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Last update: 28 Jul 2015 (earthquake swarm since 27 July 2015)
Typical eruption style: explosive
Akan volcano eruptions: 2008, 2006, 1988, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1962, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1951(?)-52, 1927 (?), 1808 (?), 1800
Typical eruption style: explosive
Akan volcano eruptions: 2008, 2006, 1988, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1962, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1951(?)-52, 1927 (?), 1808 (?), 1800
| Time | Mag. / Depth | Distance | Location |
| Thu, 3 Aug | |||
| Thu, 3 Aug 07:19 UTC | M 3.8 / 129.3 km | 30 km | TOKACHI REGION |
| Sun, 30 Jul | |||
| Sun, 30 Jul 18:05 UTC | M 2.5 / 129.8 km | 38 km | KUSHIRO REGION |
The frequent historic eruptions occurred all from the Me-Akan group, east of Lake Akan. Me-Akan volcano (雌阿寒岳 Meakan-dake) consists of 9 overlapping cones. Its summit has 3 craters.
Me-Akan has had at least 17 small phreatic eruptions since the beginning of the 19th century and from geologic studies it is known that there were at least 4 major magmatic eruptions with pyroclastic flows have occurred in prehistoric time during the past 10,000 years.
Lake Akan is part of the Akan National Park. It is known for a rare green algae (marimo) which can grow to about the size of a soccer ball. The only town around the lake is the resort of Akankohan known for its hot springs and the "bokke", bubbling mud pools found at the lakeshore.
Background:
The Akan caldera is located immediately SW of Kutcharo caldera and has an elonogated, irregular shape due to several caldera-forming explosive eruptions between the early and mid Pleistocene.Growth of 3 post-caldera stratovolcanoes, 3 at the SW end of the caldera and the other at the NE side, has reduced the size of the caldera lake. The conical O-Akan volcano was frequently active during the Holocene. The 1-km-wide Nakamachineshiri crater of Me-Akan volcano was formed during a major pumice-and-scoria eruption about 13,500 years ago.
Akan Photos:
 View onto Cemoro Lawang village on the caldera rim (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) |  The Tengger caldera (East Java, Indonesia) with Bromo and erupting Semeru in the background (Photo: kaylash) |  Reinhold and Peter near an older natrocarbonatite lava channel. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) |
 Beautifully shaped walls of a lava channel turning into a tube at the south of the crater. The caldera wall is in the background. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) |  Benbow crater and the rim of the caldera seen from outside, where the flanks of Ambrym volcano are covered by thick rainforest. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) |  Our small group in May 2008 hiking along the caldera rim (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) |
2008 eruption
Tremor was recorded on 17 November 2008. A small ash eruption occurred on 18 November, and was later detected by a fresh deposit of ash on snow in up to 400 m distance from the Ponmachineshiri crater. Another ash eruption occurred on 28 November, producing a small ash plume reaching 2 km altitude.
(Source: Smithsonian / GVP monthly reports)
Tremor was recorded on 17 November 2008. A small ash eruption occurred on 18 November, and was later detected by a fresh deposit of ash on snow in up to 400 m distance from the Ponmachineshiri crater. Another ash eruption occurred on 28 November, producing a small ash plume reaching 2 km altitude.
(Source: Smithsonian / GVP monthly reports)
2006 eruption
A small eruption occurred from a vent on the NE flank of Meakan on 21 March 2006. Ashfall was observed 10 km SE of the volcano.
A small eruption occurred from a vent on the NE flank of Meakan on 21 March 2006. Ashfall was observed 10 km SE of the volcano.
1998 eruption
A small ash eruption occurred from Meakan volcano on 9 November 1998.
A small ash eruption occurred from Meakan volcano on 9 November 1998.
1996 eruption
A small phreatic eruption occurred on 21 November 1996.
A small phreatic eruption occurred on 21 November 1996.
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