USGS/GVP Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 9/1-7/2010

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After a busy day where I finally send off my paper on zircon and the magmatic evolution of the Okataina Caldera Complex…

A new Smithsonian/USGS Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report! It is a busy one this week, even if we don’t include Planchon-Peteroa, Sinabung, Seulawah Agam and Villarrica. And, as usual, a great job from Sally Kuhn Sennert.

Highlights include:

With Dr. Boris Behncke out on a well-deserved holiday, we haven’t heard much about the revived activity at Etna. However, the Italian volcano continues to rumble away, with multiple ash explosions from the Bucco Nuovo crater. So far, the explosion appear to be vulcanian events with little evidence of new, juvenile magma.

As usual, the volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatcha Peninsula and Kuril Islandscontinue to rock – with reports of eruptions or thermal anomalies at Ekarma, Bezymianny, Kliuchevskoi, Karymsky and Shiveluch. You can also check out the KVERT page for updates on Kamchatkan volcanoes as well.

Pilots spotted a ~5.5 km /18,000 foot plume from Ecuador’s Sangay, not an uncommon sight.

Another volcano that is a permanent resident on the report is Hawaii’s Kilauea. This week is no different, with news about the Halema`uma`u Crater lava lake levels and the active hornito at the Pu`u O`o vent – you can see the full USGS updates over on the HVO website.

Top left: A view of the lava lake with dark basaltic crust in the Halema`uma`u Crater on Kilauea. Image from September 7, 2010, courtesy of the USGS/HVO. Click on the image to see a larger version.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people