Volcano activity of January 11, 2013 – Small ash eruption of Santiaguito, Guatamala (video)

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This (almost) daily post intends to follow up the activity changes of volcanoes all over the world.
This post is written by geologist Richard Wilson who specializes in Volcano seismicity and Armand Vervaeck. Please feel free to tell us about new or changed activity if we haven’t written about it. -

January 11, 2013 volcano activity

Basaltic lava continues to effuse from a cinder cone on the southern flank of Plosky Tolbachik (Kamchatka Peninsula) today.

There appears to have been another outburst from Colima (Mexico) overnight, judging by seismic data at the volcano.  The most recent seismogram shows continued small explosion signals.  Recent events at Colima volcano show how rapidly volcanoes can “wake-up” from periods of quiet and just how subtle indicators of coming activity can be (see yesterdays report).
Exhalations at nearby Popocatepetl volcano still occur at an average rate of less than one per hour.

Seismicity remains relatively low at Fuego volcano (Guatemala) (station FG3).  Periodic degassing tremor affects Santa Maria volcano (STG6), and numerous volcanic earthquakes rattle Pacaya volcano again today (station PCG).  Today’s volcanocam photo of Santa Maria volcano shows a condensation plume formed by water vapor condensing around dust/salt particles rising from the volcano
Below the picture a YouTube video who was published yesterday of a small eruption cloud at Santiaguito dome. Always nice to hear the people extasy when an explosion occurs !

Periods of banded volcanic tremor continue to affect San Cristobal volcano (Nicaragua) (station CRIN).  Amplitude of volcanic tremor has eased slightly at Masaya volcano (station MASN).  Concepcion volcano continues to “perk” at low level with volcanic earthquakes (station CONN).

Continuous, low level volcanic tremor affects San Miguel volcano again today (station VSM).  One local volcanic earthquake is visible on today’s seismogram there.

Numerous volcano-tectonic and volcanic earthquakes continue to rattle Nevado Del Ruiz volcano (Colombia) (station OLLZ), and very small earthquakes and small pulses of volcanic tremor affect Galeras volcano (station ANGV).

Tungurahua volcano (Ecuador) (station RETU) still produces occasional ash emissions as it returns to slumber.  Today’s seismogram shows a flurry of volcanic earthquakes at the volcano.  Seismicity has declined overnight at nearby Reventador volcano (station CONE).

Earthquake activity at Copahue volcano (Chile) remains on the rise with nearly 1300 seismic events recorded there yesterday.  Recent volcanocam photos show a more robust plume issuing from the cone.

More local earthquakes are visible the past few days at Ruapehu and Tongariro volcanoes (New Zealand).  Possible low-level volcanic tremor is also apparent on the Ruapehu seismogram.  Still no uncertainty about what’s going-on at White Island volcano though, just more of the same (“loud”, continuous volcanic tremor).

OMI – SO2 satellite data were not updated today.

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