Volcanic activity worldwide 15 Dec 2013: Etna, Fuego, Barren Island, Puyehue-Cordón Caulle
Sun, 15 Dec 2013, 17:03
17:03 PM | 
Explosions, ash and lava flow emission at Etna's New SE crater at dawn
Fuego volcano this morning with strombolian activity and the lava flow
MODIS / Terra satellite image 14 Dec showing a plume drifting N from Puyehue
MODIS hot spot data (past 7 days) for Barren Island volcano (ModVolc, Univ. Hawaii)
Tremor has dropped sharply, but at the moment of updating, strombolian explosions, ash emission and the effusion of the lava flow continue at reduced level.
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Fuego (Guatemala): An increase in activity was indicated by the volcano observatory today. The explosions (strombolian type) at the summit vent occur now at rates of 6-8 per hour and lava effusion increased. Currently, the lava flow is headed towards the Cenize canyon on the SW side. It is a possibility that this activity continues to build up towards another paroxysm, in which case the occurrence of pyroclastic flows (mainly by collapsing lava flow fronts) is a likely and dangerous scenario.
Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (Central Chile and Argentina): A significant ash(?) plume was spotted on Terra's satellite images yesterday afternoon. Since there are no other reports suggesting that a (larger in this case) eruption has occurred (e.g. heat signals, eyewitness reports, webcam), it seems likely that the plume was from wind-mobilized ash from the 2011-12 eruption.
If new evidence of an eruption becomes available, we'll follow up, and please post a comment if you have other data.
A passenger on a cruise ship reported: "Cruise ship Seabourn Quest sailing out of Castro, Chile, just passed what we believe is the actively erupting Chaiten volcano. Eruption ash cloud clearly visible throughout sunset, 8.15 to 9.00pm, 12/14/2013. Pyroclastic cloud going down left (north) flank. Secondary vents erupting on the flanks."
Barren Island (Indian Ocean): New and relatively strong thermal signals are visible on satellite data. They suggest renewed (or increased) activity, perhaps in the form of lava flows.
Volcano Activity Summary for 15 Dec 2013:
Currently erupting:
Ambrym (Vanuatu): active lava lakes in several craters (updated 5 Dec 2013)Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): ash explosions (updated 10 Dec 2013)
Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): strombolian explosions, ash plumes up to 500 m, extrusion of a small lava dome with rockfalls (updated 6 Nov 2013)
Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): continuous small eruptions (updated 6 May 2013)
Colima (Western Mexico): explosions and lava flows (updated 5 Dec 2013)
Dukono (Halmahera): thermal anomaly, probably small explosive activity in summit crater (updated 30 Nov 2013)
Erebus (Antarctica): active lava lake in summit crater (updated 21 Jan 2012)
Erta Ale (Ethiopia): active lava lake in northern pit crater, active hornito with intermittend flow in southern crater (updated 11 Jan 2013)
Etna (Sicily, Italy): degassing, seismic unrest (updated 15 Dec 2013)
Fuego (Guatemala): strombolian activity at summit, lava flow emission on upper slopes (updated 15 Dec 2013)
Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): growing lava dome, seismic unrest (updated 23 Oct 2013)
Karymsky (Kamchatka): occasional small explosions, thermal anomaly (updated 6 Nov 2013)
Kilauea (Hawai'i): lava lakes in Halemau'uma'u and Pu'u 'O'o, lava flows on coastal flat and weakly active ocean entries (updated 13 Aug 2013)
Klyuchevskoy (Kamchatka): ash emissions (updated 12 Dec 2013)
Nyiragongo (DRCongo): active lava lake in summit crater (updated 12 Jun 2013)
Ol Doinyo Lengai (Tanzania): effusion of natrocarbonatite lava inside the crater (updated 8 Jul 2013)
Pacaya (Guatemala): strombolian activity and lava flow (updated 10 Dec 2013)
Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia): active growing lava dome (updated 12 Aug 2013)
Reventador (Ecuador): ash explosions, occasional pyroclastic flows (updated 14 Nov 2013)
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): constant ash emissions and strong explosions (updated 10 Dec 2013)
Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Santiaguito volcano (Guatemala): lava flow on south flank of dome becomes more active (updated 10 Dec 2013)
Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): growing lava dome, ash venting and small to moderate explosions (updated 18 Oct 2013)
Shiveluch (Kamchatka): growing lava dome, incandescent avalanches, occasional explosions (updated 11 Dec 2013)
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): vulcanian explosions, ash venting (updated 12 Dec 2013)
Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): continuing lava overflows (updated 3 Nov 2013)
Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): Mt Ontake volcano of Suwanose-jima Island, Japan (updated 6 Dec 2013)
Yasur (Tanna Island, Vanuatu): ash emissions, weak strombolian explosions (updated 20 Nov 2013)
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): new explosive activity since 23 Oct (updated 6 Nov 2013)
Eruption warning / minor activity:
Barren Island (Indian Ocean): lava flows (?) (updated 15 Dec 2013)Bezymianny (Central Kamchatka Depression): slow lava flow extrusion from dome (updated 13 Oct 2013)
Chirinkotan (Northern Kuriles): unspecified activity - possibly lava flows (updated 22 Nov 2013)
Copahue (Chile/Argentina): ash venting (updated 16 Nov 2013)
Dieng (Central Java): increased degassing (updated 28 Mar 2013)
Galeras (Colombia): sporadic ash emissions (updated 5 Dec 2013)
Heard (Australia, Southern Indian Ocean): likely lava lake in summit crater (updated 6 Dec 2013)
Iliwerung (Lesser Sunda Islands): possible submarine eruption from Mt Hobal on 20 August (updated 20 Aug 2013)
Jebel Zubair (Red Sea): no signs of activity after 24 Nov 2013 (updated 26 Nov 2013)
Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): lava extrusion at summit crater, strombolian activity, glowing avalanches (updated 4 Sep 2013)
Ketoi (Kurile Islands, Russia)
Kirishima (Kyushu): degassing, slightly increased seismic activity (updated 30 Jul 2012)
Langila (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): occasional ash explosions (updated 22 Nov 2013)
Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): small explosions, lava flow? (updated 24 Sep 2013)
Manam (Papua New Guinea): degassing, occasional ash venting (updated 5 Dec 2013)
Marapi (Western Sumatra, Indonesia): occasional ash explosions (updated 9 Dec 2013)
Merapi (Central Java): sporadic phreatic explosions (updated 12 Dec 2013)
Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): seismic unrest (updated 7 Oct 2013)
Nishino-shima (Volcano Islands, Japan): degassing, possible end of eruption (updated 12 Dec 2013)
Papandayan (West Java): strong hydrothermal activity, increased seismicity (updated 6 May 2013)
Poas (Costa Rica): occasional small phreatic explosions from lake (updated 22 Aug 2013)
Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): steam/gas/ash emissions (updated 9 Dec 2013)
Rabaul (Tavurvur) (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): weak ash explosions (updated 5 Dec 2013)
Raung (East Java): strombolian activity in summit crater (updated 5 Aug 2013)
Tangkubanparahu (West Java): occasional phreatic explosions (updated 15 Oct 2013)
Turrialba (Costa Rica): ash venting, strong degassing (updated 24 Jul 2013)
Ulawun (New Britain, Papua New Guinea): degassing, ash venting (updated 5 Dec 2013)
Previous news
Sat, 14 Dec 2013, 17:03
Volcanic activity worldwide 14 Dec 2013: Etna
Etna (Sicily, Italy): Strombolian explosions are becoming stronger and impressive, even on the webcam images now. ... Read all
Fri, 13 Dec 2013, 17:03
Volcanic activity worldwide 13 Dec 2013: Etna
Etna (Sicily, Italy): While the New SE crater has remained quiet, the NE crater became active earlier today and continues to produce a dense gas plume containing fine ash, likely from deep-seated explosions. The tremor has dropped a bit again, but remains elevated. ... Read all
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