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Jebel Zubair volcano is a shield volcano forming the island of the same name in the Red Sea. Measuring 5 km in length, it is the largest of a group of 10 small volcanic islands and shoals known as the Zubair archipelago, which includes the Zubair, Centre Peak, Saba, and Haycock islands.
A new eruption in Dec 2011 was first reported on 19 Dec 2011. The eruption lasted until mid January 2012 and produced a new island immediately NW of Rugged Island.
shield volcano 191 m / 627 ft Red Sea, Yemen, 15.16°N / 42.1°E Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)| ReportsJebel Zubair volcano booksJebel Zubair volcano eruptions:2011 Dec - Jan 2012, 1846 (?), 1824 Typical eruption style:effusive Last earthquakes nearby
Latest satellite images  Jebel Zubair volcano news & activity updatesTue, 26 Nov 2013, 17:37
 Comparison google earth image and Landsat satellite image from 24 Nov, where the new island can be seen (Blog Culture Volcan) Satellite images show signs of ongoing activity (steam plume, discolored water) at the new island at least until 20 November. A satellite image from 24 November shows no such signs any more, suggesting that the activity has stopped or paused. Thu, 14 Nov 2013, 11:24
MODIS / Terra satellite image 11 Nov showing the gas plume and discolored water plume Signs of weak continuing or renewed activity could be spotted again on recent satellite data after few weeks with no evidence of activity. ...moreThe attached MODIS / Terra satellite image from 11 Nov shows a gas plume drifting NE from the new island as well as a discolored water plume extending south. The discolored sea water is likely caused by dissolved volcanic gasses (H2S in particular). The absence of steam suggests that there is no lava entering the sea and no submarine effusive activity. [ less] [ read all] Sun, 3 Nov 2013, 10:58  A new island appeared in the Zubair archipelago on or before 23 Oct (Google Earth image for comparison) (source: Blog Culture Volcan) A new island has emerged in late Oct at the submarine eruption site, but the exact date is currently not known. At the moment, satellite images do not allow to determine whether eruptive activity at the island continues, but suggest that it is currently low or has stopped. If any, it might be strombolian or the effusion of small lava flows. The last ash /steam plume was spotted a MODIS satellite image on 30 Oct.
Thu, 17 Oct 2013, 10:49  Steam plume from Zubair this morning The submarine eruption continues to produce a steam plume visible on the latest satellite images. No evidence of ash is apparent, suggesting that the vent is still relatively deep.
Mon, 14 Oct 2013, 14:01  SO2 plume from Zubair volcano (NOAA) The submarine eruption continues. A small steam plume continued to rise from the new eruption site this morning and an SO2 plume hovers above the area. Fri, 11 Oct 2013, 17:23
 Steam plume from Zubair in the Red Sea on Tuesday (8 Oct)
As of today, the submarine eruption continues with the production of a steam plume of variable size, not always easily identifiable on satellite images. A SO2 plume is also visible on satellite data drifting from the eruption site. ...moreNo ash can be seen on satellite imagery, only steam, and the area of discolored water (indicator of suspended particles) is small if not has disappeared. That suggests that the eruption is currently rather weak and probably has not yet entered the so-called surtseyan phase where solid fragments (ash, lava blocks) are ejected above the surface of the sea.  SO2 plume from Zubair today (NOAA) [ less] Wed, 2 Oct 2013, 07:28
MODIS / Terra satellite image 1 Oct showing the steam plume from the eruption As of yesterday morning when the latest MODIS satellite image was taken from the area, the eruption continued with little changes. ...moreA video has appeared showing the activity (from distance) on the first day of the eruption: [ less] [ read all] Sun, 29 Sep 2013, 11:38  Steam plume and discolored water around the new submarine eruption site (NASA / Terra satellite image 28 Sep, annotated by Blog Culture Volcan)
A submarine eruption started yesterday (28 Sep) NW of the island Jebel Zubair and SW of the site of the 2011-12 eruption. The activity manifestated itself in form of a strong SO2 anomaly and steam plume spotted on satellite imagery. ...moreNo signs of activity are visible on images taken on 27 Sep, which confirms that the eruption started yesterday. The presence of the significant steam plume suggests that the eruption vent is a shallow depth (less than 100 m), and possibly in the stage of producing so-called surtseyan activity (violent steam-driven explosions breach the surface with jets of water and steam, and become more and more rich in lava fragments as the vent becomes shallower). often  SO2 plume above Jebel Zubair 28 Sep 2013 [ less] [ read all]
Wed, 18 Jan 2012, 00:01  The new island seen on January 15, 2012 (NASA Earth Obbservatory)
It appears from the latest NASA satellite images that the eruption that has formed the new island has ended, leaving an impressive new elongated island about 1000 m long and 500 m wide just 500 m NNW of Rugged Island in the Zubair archipelago. ...moreThe island, whose name yet needs to be published, belongs to Yemen. If it consists of sufficiently large quantities of hard lava flows instead of loose ash and scoria, it will probably resist wave eruption long enough to become a permanent feature in the archipelago, but it will certainly take some time before it can possibly be inhabited (if anyone wants to live there anyway...).  Comparison of NASA images of the same island at different stages [ less] [ read all]
Wed, 11 Jan 2012, 11:54 New images were released from NASA, showing the rapid growth of a new island in the Zubair archipelago in the Red Sea. ...moreThis new satellite image, acquired January 7, 2012, suggests that the eruption has risen nearly completely above water. A plume of steam, other volcanic gases, and ash spews from a distinct cone. The land surrounding the vent has grown, and is now about 530 by 710 meters (1,700 by 2,300 feet) across. Once above water, past eruptions in the Zubair Islands were primarily effusive, with relatively runny lava forming thin lava flows. In contrast to the fragmented rock that forms when lava interacts directly with water, lava that solidifies on land is tough, so this new island is likely to be permanent. [ less] [ read all] Show more news
Wed, 4 Jan 2012, 19:43  Surtseyan eruption at the newly formed island in the Red Sea A new dramatic video of the recent volcanic eruption in the Red Sea in the Zubayr group of islands west of Jemen has emerged on youtube. The video was taken from a military helicopter and shows the newly-born island in the highly explosive phase, when magma in contact with sea water lead to very strong steam and ash explosions (so-called surtseyan activity), producing huge ash and steam clouds. Unfortunately, the date of the video is not specified, but it is probably from around 22-23 December. Wed, 28 Dec 2011, 20:19
 The new island in the Red Sea seen on 23 Dec 2011 (NASA Earth Observatory)
NASA satellite images show that the eruption in the Red Sea in the Zubair archipelago has produced a new island. The island is circular, about 500 m wide and located about 1 km north of Rugged Island. It consists of fresh probably basaltic lava flows and an active vent seems to be in its center. ...moreA large steam plume, generated by evaporating sea water at the entry of lava flows into the sea is seen on the satellite image, drifting north. The island has apparently passed through an explosive Surtseyan phase very quickly, probably because the erupting basalt lava was poor in gas and because the output rate was high, so that the vent could be sealed from water access in short time.  The same area with no island before
[ less] [ read all] Wed, 21 Dec 2011, 08:15
 MODIS thermal image of the area of the reported eruption (the Zubair islands are in the center). No hot spot is visible, which could indicate either the eruption was extremely short and small, or there was another cause of the report.
(update 21 Dec:) ...moreMore sources are emerging, confirming that in fact an eruption seems to have taken place: Aref Hamoud, a reader from Yemen confirms us the original report, that an eruption happened on 19 Dec on "Saba Island Coordinates: (Lat. 15° 5'13.38"N Long. 42° 9'10.12"E)", and that people in the area could feel a quake associated with it that day.  Graphic from VAAC Toulouse showing the location of the reported steam plume above Jebel Zubair in the Red Sea
 SO2 plume above the Red Sea on 19 Dec (Global Sulfur Dioxide Monitoring http://so2.gsfc.nasa.gov)
[ less] [ read all]
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