Tag Archives: Popocatépetl

Volcano Updates – Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, Alaska

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Eruption Update for May 7, 2012: Popocatépetl, Iliamna, Lokon-Empung and a Pair of Japanese Volcanoes

The plume from Popocatépetl in Mexico seen on May 6, 2012. Webcam capture by Eruptions reader Kirby.

 

Quick updates on current activity at a number of volcanoes while I am mired in grading jail:

Popocatépetl: The Mexican volcano is still churning away (see above). Thus far, most of the activity has been subplinian plumes from the crater area as the new magma rises and fragments, but Mexican officials are not taking any chances. They will be distributing almost half a million dust masks to people living near the volcano if/when a larger explosive eruption occurs that could drop significant ash across much of the area. You can see what is going on at Popocatépetl on the CENAPRED webcams for the volcano.

 

Iliamna: We haven’t heard much from Iliamna in the past month or so after the volcano was downgraded to Yellow Alert status by AVO after a period of increased seismicity and degassing. The seismicity was reported to be back on the upswing at the end of last week according to the Alaska Dispatch (who looks to be getting into the game of webicorder watching). However, this blip (if real) didn’t cause AVO to change the status of Iliamna as the latest update just mentions seismicity at the volcano is “slightly above background”. Iliamna has a webcam as well as a webicorder so you can follow along at home.

Lokon-Empung: Another volcano that has been quite active is Lokon-Empung in Indonesia. Thevolcano had an explosive eruption earlier last week, producing a 2.5 km / 8,200 foot plume. Although evacuations have not been called yet, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has begun to set up evacuation centers in case the activity increases. Seismicity has been increasing at Lokon-Empung since last week’s eruption, but the alert status (Level III) is unchanged.

Iwo Jima (Ioto): I haven’t been able to find too much in the news about the activity at Japan’s Iwo Jima (Ioto), however Eruptions reader Sherine did find some images of the activity at Iwo Jima, along with images of potential submarine activity at Fukutoku-Okanoba (see below or the top two rows of images on the previous link). As for descriptions, last week’s Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report mentions that a new fumarole has opened at Iwo Jima as well.

Slight discoloration of the sea at Fukutoku-Okanoba (bottom right) may suggest eruptive activity. Image taken April 19, 2012 by the Japanese Coast Guard.

from:   http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/05/eruption-update-for-may-7-2012/#more-109484

More Activity at Popocatepetl Volcano in Mexico

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Explosions Continue at Popocatépetl as Mexico Prepares for an Eruption

 

Side by side views of Popocatépetl during the night and day on April 20, 2012. The left side shows the incandescent blocks being thrown from the summit while while the right shows the ash plume associated with this activity. Webcam captures courtesy of Eruptions reader Kirby.

 

Brief note about events in Mexico:

It appears that the activity at Popocatépetl has picked up, with more ash emissions and even (unconfirmed) reports of new lava at the summit. This would all suggest that the potential for a significant eruption is high. A report from the BBC says that volcanic bombs are being thrown over a kilometer from the vent and “60 opening” have appeared on the volcano. I actually have no idea what that means – are there cracks at the summit or just lots of fumarolic activity near the summit crater? The explosions from the volcano have been large enough to rattle windows in communities surrounding the volcano. CENAPRED reported over 12 explosions in two hours starting at ~5 AM on Friday (April 20). The steam-and-ash plume from Popocatépetl topped out at ~3 km / 10,000 feet while seismicity remains at elevated levels. CENAPRED currently has the warning level at Yellow Level II with a 12-km exclusion zone around the volcano – in that same report, CENAPRED geologist Roberto Quaas suggests that they are concerned about a potential cycle of dome growth and collapse at Popo, heightening the threat of pyroclastic flows. However, exactly when or if a large eruption might happen cannot be predicted.

 

It appears that there are some issues about people taking this activity at Popo seriously, though. In an article from USA Today, a local resident is quoted as saying “Right now we’re not scared. When it’s scary is at night, when it’s putting out lava.” (see above) Well, the lava is there when its not night, so the threat is persistent, day or night. Officially, evacuations have not been called. However, government officials are telling people to be ready to evacuate and to watch the volcano for signs of increasing activity. All this news about the reaction of people living near the volcano makes me nervous, especially when I read about people near the volcano choosing not to leave when the threat is present. Mexican president Felipe Calderon called on the populace to be prepared as well.

The plume from Popocatépetl seen on the morning of April 20. Webcam capture courtesy of CENAPRED.

NASA posted a short movie of the ash from Popocatépetl seen on April 18, 2012 – the puff from the volcano is clearly seen spreading across central Mexico.

All in all, it looks like we’re entering a period where everyone, especially those living near Popocatépetl, need to watch the volcano very closely.

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/explosions-continue-at-popocatepetl-as-mexico-prepares-for-an-eruption/#more-107209

Mexico’s Popocatepeti Volcano Rumbling

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Alert Status Raised at Mexico’s Popocatépetl

 

Three webcam views of Popocatépetl as seen on April 16, 2012. Images courtesy of Eruptions reader Kirby.

 

I mentioned yesterday that Mexico’s famous Popocatépetl experienced one of its largest explosions in years, covering some 30 communities with ash up to 7 cm thick (but highly dependent on wind direction, so that value has a wide range from dusting to the maximum 7 cm). Combine that with continued elevated seismicity and a healthy steam-and-ash plume from the volcano (see above), and CENAPRED has raised the alert status at Popo to Yellow Phase 3, the third highest threat level (of 7). Overnight on April 16th, the volcano was throwing incandescent material over 300 meter above the crater and it has produced at least 14 small steam-and-ash plumes over the last day or so, some reaching as high as ~1 km / ~3,200 feet. The raised alert level means that local authorities are preparing for potential evacuations if the volcano has a major eruption – the last time major evacuations were needed, in 2000, over 50,000 people had to leave their homes. An eruption will also likely cause significant air traffic issues in/around Mexico City, so authorities need to be prepared for this as well.

The major hazards from Popo are going to be ash fall on the area around the volcano, lahars generated by mixing water and volcanic debris (Popo does have several summit glaciers) and even the potential for pyroclastic flows, although they have been relatively rare in the recent (last few hundred years) at Popocatepetl. You can get a sense of the area that could be effected by a new eruption of Popo fromthis map prepared by volcanologists at University of Buffalo.

When conditions are good, you can get a view of Popocatépetl from webcams near the volcano, so keep your eyes open for continued activity.

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/category/eruptions/