Russia's Krasheninnikova Volcano Spewing Lava Months After Rare Eruption
A rare volcanic eruption, which marked the first time the volcano had awakened in over 500 years, has persisted for months, with ongoing lava flows and ash clouds blanketing Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. According to NASA's Earth observation satellite, Landsat 9, images captured on November 14 show a continuous plume of ash and lava drifting towards the northwest, accompanied by an accompanying flow that traversed snowy slopes.
The volcano, located in the Kamchatka Peninsula, has been dormant for centuries, with its last recorded eruption dating back to 1550 CE. However, recent seismic activity, including an 8.8 magnitude earthquake on August 3, triggered a massive volcanic eruption on August 7. The explosion produced lava flows from both summit cones and sent ash clouds into the sky.
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used remote sensing techniques to analyze the movement of magma in the volcano. According to Paul Lundgren, a geophysicist at JPL, the data suggests that the earthquake triggered magma movement towards the surface. "I would consider this eruption as triggered by the magnitude 8.8 earthquake," he said.
The volcano's recent awakening has raised concerns about ongoing volcanic activity, with authorities increasing the aviation color code to orange, indicating heightened unrest. The crater's large caldera stretches across roughly 6 miles (10 kilometers), comprising two overlapping stratovolcanoes. The eruption that formed the caldera is believed to have occurred around 30,000 years ago.
Despite being in a remote area of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, which poses little harm to human settlements, scientists and authorities continue to monitor the volcano's activity closely, ensuring public safety and providing updates on its ongoing eruptions.
A rare volcanic eruption, which marked the first time the volcano had awakened in over 500 years, has persisted for months, with ongoing lava flows and ash clouds blanketing Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. According to NASA's Earth observation satellite, Landsat 9, images captured on November 14 show a continuous plume of ash and lava drifting towards the northwest, accompanied by an accompanying flow that traversed snowy slopes.
The volcano, located in the Kamchatka Peninsula, has been dormant for centuries, with its last recorded eruption dating back to 1550 CE. However, recent seismic activity, including an 8.8 magnitude earthquake on August 3, triggered a massive volcanic eruption on August 7. The explosion produced lava flows from both summit cones and sent ash clouds into the sky.
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used remote sensing techniques to analyze the movement of magma in the volcano. According to Paul Lundgren, a geophysicist at JPL, the data suggests that the earthquake triggered magma movement towards the surface. "I would consider this eruption as triggered by the magnitude 8.8 earthquake," he said.
The volcano's recent awakening has raised concerns about ongoing volcanic activity, with authorities increasing the aviation color code to orange, indicating heightened unrest. The crater's large caldera stretches across roughly 6 miles (10 kilometers), comprising two overlapping stratovolcanoes. The eruption that formed the caldera is believed to have occurred around 30,000 years ago.
Despite being in a remote area of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, which poses little harm to human settlements, scientists and authorities continue to monitor the volcano's activity closely, ensuring public safety and providing updates on its ongoing eruptions.