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. -
June 30, 2012 volcano activity
Seismicity has eased slightly at El Hierro (Canary Islands) but deformation (as measured by GPS) now approaches 50 mm in places on the island. Seismicity has not shallowed significantly (still around 20 km depth) though it now appears to be concentrating along a linear feature beneath the western part of the island. Click here for our in-depth reporting of the El Hierro events.
An energetic seismic swarm is also underway at Popocatepetl (Mexico). The volcano continues to exhale trains of gas and ash on a daily basis.
Another outburst occurred at Fuego (Guatemala) today (station FG3). It might have been impressive to those nearby, but apparently did not produce an eruptive plume large enough or that rose high enough to become visible to satellite SO2 sensors.
Small earthquakes and some tremor continue at Galeras volcano (Colombia) (station ANGV). Tremor remains relatively low at nearby Nevado Del Ruiz, though volcanic earthquakes are apparent on a current seismogram. The volcano continues to emit significant amounts of SO2, which is indicative of magmatic temperatures/fluids at shallow depth.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory reports SO2 output from Iliamna volcano remains elevated above background levels, similar to those measured there early last spring. The volcano experienced elevated earthquake activity beginning late last year. The seismicity apparently “peaked” in January with up to 80 events per day, including several M3+ magnitude quakes. Since then, shallow seismicity has declined significantly.
Mount Iliamna volcano, Alaska
Seismicity at Fuego volcano, Guatemala - image courtesy Insivumeh
Seismogram Popocatepetl volcano, Mexico
NOAA satellite map covering Colombia and Ecuador
Seismicity at Geleras volcano, Colombia
El Hierro volcano, Canary Islands, Spain - Map with epicenters and hypocenters
El Hierro volcano, Canary Islands, Spain - Seismogram
El Hierro volcano, Canary Islands, Spain - GPS deformations
