Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 5/26-6/1/2010

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The level of news-frenzy on some of the recent volcanic eruptions has died down, but if you’re looking to see information on the many rumbling going on worldwide, look no further. Here is this week’s Volcanic Activity Report put together by Sally Kuhn Sennert of the Global Volcanism Program.

Highlights – not including Pacaya, Yasur, Tungurahua and our friend in Iceland – include:

The eruption in the Marianas apparently came from South Sarigan volcano – at least according to the best guess by folks who work in the Marianas. This submarine volcano apparently shows evidence of young lava flows, so this explosive event might have been part of that same system. The activity has waned considerably since the plume was spotted on May 31.

Kirishima in Japan has a small eruption that produced a ~100 m / 330 foot plume. However, ash was noted as far as 6 km from the vent.

Ulawun in Papau New Guinea was put on Stage 1 alert (the first level from the bottom) after the volcano began to show signs of restlessness, including “jetting noises”, incandescence and white vapor plumes.

Non-eruption-related lahars were spotted at Guatemala’s two other highly active volcanoes – Fuego and Santa Maria. These lahars were triggered by the heavy rain from TS Agatha and are common occurrences when you mix loosely consolidated volcanic sediment with heavy precipitation.

Lastly, back in the Kuril Islands, a thermal anomaly was spotted by satellite on Sarychev Peak. Unfortunately, there is no realtime monitoring of the volcano, so satellite images are all we have.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people