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[HDS08-P05] The 2021 Activity of Kamchatka and Kurile Islands Volcanoes and Danger to Aviation
Keywords:volcanic eruption, Kamchatka and Kurile Islands, dangerous to aviation
Strong explosive eruptions of volcanoes are the most dangerous for aircraft because they can produce in a few hours or days to the atmosphere and the stratosphere till several cubic kilometers of volcanic ash and aerosols. Ash plumes and the clouds, depending on the power of the eruption, the strength and wind speed, can travel thousands of kilometers from the volcano for several days, remaining hazardous to aircraft, as the melting temperature of small particles of ash below the operating temperature of jet engines. There are 68 active volcanoes in the Kamchatka and the Kurile Islands. Scientists of KVERT monitor Kamchatkan volcanoes since 1993, and Kurile Islands volcanoes since 2003. Description of volcanic eruptions is based on video monitoring and various satellite data from the information system (IS) "Remote monitoring of the activity of volcanoes of the Kamchatka and the Kuriles" (VolSatView, http://kamchatka.volcanoes.smislab.ru). In 2021, six of these volcanoes (Sheveluch, Klyuchevskoy, Karymsky, Chirinkotan, Sarychev Peak, and Ebeko) had eruptions.
The growth of the lava dome of Sheveluch is continuing since 1980. In 2021, explosions sent ash up to 8 km a.s.l., ash plumes extended more 200 km to different directions of the volcano. A new plastic lava block Dolphin-2 squeezed at the dome from February till July 2021. A form of resuspended ash was observed on April, July, August, October: ash plumes extended for 400 km to east and southeast of the volcano. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was noted all year. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. The terminal explosive-effusive eruptions of Klyuchevskoy took place from 30 September, 2020 to 08 February, 2021. Explosions sent ash up to 8 km a.s.l., gas-steam plumes containing some amount of ash extended for 500 km to different directions of the volcano. The lava flows moved along Apakhonchichsky and Kozyrevsky chutes. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was noted all year. The lateral break on the northwestern slope of Klyuchevskoy at an altitude of 2.8 km a.s.l. lasted from 17 February to 20 March, 2021: lava effused from two cracks, a cinder cone 60 m high was formed. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to international and local aviation. Eruptive activity of Karymsky was uneven in 2021. According to satellite data, the strong ash explosions were observed: on 04 April (8.5 km a.s.l.), 10 September (7 km a.s.l.), 03 November (11 km a.s.l.), 06, 13, and 18 November (8 km a.s.l.); in the other months explosions sent ash up to 6 km a.s.l.; ash clouds drifted for 2700 km to different directions of the volcano. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to international and local aviation.
The moderate explosive eruption of Ebeko lasted from 18 October, 2016 to 19 November, 2021. The most intense eruptive activity in 2021 was noted: on 05 April (ash clouds rose to 4.5 km a.s.l., 24 August (4 km a.s.l.), 25 October (6.5 km a.s.l.). Ash clouds moved for 250 km in various directions of the volcano. Ashfalls at Severo-Kurilsk were noted on January, February, March, April, July, September. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. A rapid increase in the thermal anomaly temperature was noted in the area of Sarychev Peak from 30 March to 19 April, 2020. Probably, fresh magmatic matter was rising along the vent of the volcano, but it did not reach the crater edge. From 07 January to 17 February, 2021, an effusive eruption of the volcano took place: a lava flow descending along the northwestern volcanic flank. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. In 2021, an explosive eruption of Chirinkotan with ash removal up to 4.5 km a.s.l. lasted from 08 to 23 August. On 08, 09, 10, 15, 17, 18, 22, and 23 August, single explosions were noted; on 14 August, three explosive events occurred. Three-day breaks were observed before strong explosive events. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation.
The growth of the lava dome of Sheveluch is continuing since 1980. In 2021, explosions sent ash up to 8 km a.s.l., ash plumes extended more 200 km to different directions of the volcano. A new plastic lava block Dolphin-2 squeezed at the dome from February till July 2021. A form of resuspended ash was observed on April, July, August, October: ash plumes extended for 400 km to east and southeast of the volcano. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was noted all year. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. The terminal explosive-effusive eruptions of Klyuchevskoy took place from 30 September, 2020 to 08 February, 2021. Explosions sent ash up to 8 km a.s.l., gas-steam plumes containing some amount of ash extended for 500 km to different directions of the volcano. The lava flows moved along Apakhonchichsky and Kozyrevsky chutes. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was noted all year. The lateral break on the northwestern slope of Klyuchevskoy at an altitude of 2.8 km a.s.l. lasted from 17 February to 20 March, 2021: lava effused from two cracks, a cinder cone 60 m high was formed. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to international and local aviation. Eruptive activity of Karymsky was uneven in 2021. According to satellite data, the strong ash explosions were observed: on 04 April (8.5 km a.s.l.), 10 September (7 km a.s.l.), 03 November (11 km a.s.l.), 06, 13, and 18 November (8 km a.s.l.); in the other months explosions sent ash up to 6 km a.s.l.; ash clouds drifted for 2700 km to different directions of the volcano. Activity of the volcano was dangerous to international and local aviation.
The moderate explosive eruption of Ebeko lasted from 18 October, 2016 to 19 November, 2021. The most intense eruptive activity in 2021 was noted: on 05 April (ash clouds rose to 4.5 km a.s.l., 24 August (4 km a.s.l.), 25 October (6.5 km a.s.l.). Ash clouds moved for 250 km in various directions of the volcano. Ashfalls at Severo-Kurilsk were noted on January, February, March, April, July, September. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. A rapid increase in the thermal anomaly temperature was noted in the area of Sarychev Peak from 30 March to 19 April, 2020. Probably, fresh magmatic matter was rising along the vent of the volcano, but it did not reach the crater edge. From 07 January to 17 February, 2021, an effusive eruption of the volcano took place: a lava flow descending along the northwestern volcanic flank. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation. In 2021, an explosive eruption of Chirinkotan with ash removal up to 4.5 km a.s.l. lasted from 08 to 23 August. On 08, 09, 10, 15, 17, 18, 22, and 23 August, single explosions were noted; on 14 August, three explosive events occurred. Three-day breaks were observed before strong explosive events. The activity of the volcano was dangerous to local aviation.