Posted on 01/06/2005 2:59:26 PM PST by dan_s
One of the largest and most active volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula near the settlements of Perryville and Chignik has grown increasingly restless since the turning of the new year, sending up small ash plumes and experiencing increased seismic tremors.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory on Tuesday upgraded Mount Veniaminof Volcano’s level of concern to yellow for activity considered higher than the normal background.
The level of concern is up from green, indicating normal activity, but isn’t yet to the orange level when an eruption is expected to occur or is occurring.
Veniaminof is about 300 miles southwest of the Kodiak city area. A large eruption of the volcano would not have an effect on Kodiak.
Weak seismic tremors were observed starting Jan. 1 and increased slightly over the next few days. Ash emissions were observed in images of Veniaminof taken around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
At around 10 a.m. Tuesday a pilot flying at 14,000 feet noted small ash emissions from Veniaminof, said Ken Dean, acting coordinating scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Later in the day, 19 separate ash bursts were observed from Veniaminof, none of which escalated above 500 meters from the summit, Dean said.
The most recent reports from Perryville included constant ash emissions today at around 10 a.m.
“Activity at this volcano has been on and off over the past year,” Dean said.
There is no evidence from the seismic data collected at this time that events larger than those already observed will occur, the AVO indicated in a press release.
AVO warns, however, that steam and ash emissions may continue intermittently and could pose a hazard to people and low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the active cone.
AVO monitors Veniaminof continually with a network of nine seismic recording devices capable of detecting very small earthquakes beneath the volcano.
The AVO also monitors the volcano using satellite imagery collected every four to six hours to detect changes in surface temperature, ash emission, and ash cloud movement.
Veniaminof has erupted at least 12 times in the last 200 years. The last significant eruption occurred in 1993-95.
During that period of volcanic activity, intermittent emissions of ash, steam and occasional ejection of debris occurred, according to the AVO Web site. Ash fall and rumbling noises were reported in Perryville, about 22 miles to the south, and a light dusting of ash was reported in Port Heiden about 60 miles to the northeast.
A slightly more energetic eruption occurred in 1939, depositing several centimeters of fine ash on areas within about 52 miles of the volcano, including Perryville.
Minor explosions producing some ash also occurred as recently as 2002.
Ah, a little trip down Freeper memory lane...
hmmmm. and active ash hole? is that bad?
IT'S BUSH'S FAULT!!! We're all gonna die!!!
Noooo I could go without seeing those two again. The one on the right looks like a baby giving a minty face because he doesn't want to eat his gerbers.
All these Volcanos and Earthquakes and Tsunamis are getting me scared, I shall sacrifice a cow tonight to appease the Gods. Nah I'm kidding we were having steak anyway.
It appears that the ring of fire is becoming quite active.
With the anomalous nature of the magnetic fluctuations at the N/S poles, you have to wonder if there is increasing pressure causing the plates to shift/fault lines to slip.
Just a thought.
And this differs from any time in the last 40 million years, how, exactly?
There's no unusual earthquake or volcanic activity on the "Ring of Fire."
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Trick statement.
You know, accurate, but deceiving.
They don't call it the Ring-0-Fire fo nuttin ya know.
I'm just saying we could be seeing some interesting fireworks over the next while.
very interesting!
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