The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The Alaska Volcano Observatory is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program and the State of Alaska 2006 Volcanic Activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of Events and Response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5214 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Water vapor and volcanic gas billows from a line of explosion and/or collapse pits in the glacial ice cover north of the summit of Fourpeaked volcano. In the middleground, glacial ice shows disruption from an outburst flood on September 17, 2006, the day of a phreatic eruption seen from Homer, Alaska. Photograph by K. Lawson, UAFGI, October 20, 2006. AVO database image url: http://www.avo.alaska.edu/image.php?id=12404. 2006 Volcanic Activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of Events and Response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory By Christina A. Neal, Robert G. McGimsey, James P. Dixon, U.S. Geological Survey, and Alexander Manevich, Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and Alexander Rybin, Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The Alaska Volcano Observatory is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program and the State of Alaska. Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5214 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2009 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Neal, C.A., McGimsey, R.G., Dixon, J.P., Manevich, Alexander, and Rybin, Alexander, 2009, 2006 Volcanic activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5214, 102 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Volcanic Activity in Alaska, Northeast to Southwest along Aleutian Arc ..........................................14 New (?) Klawasi Mud Vent ................................................................................................................14 Mount Spurr Volcano .........................................................................................................................16 Augustine Volcano ..............................................................................................................................28 Fourpeaked Volcano ...........................................................................................................................39 KATMAI GROUP: Mount Martin ........................................................................................................53 Mount Veniaminof Volcano ...............................................................................................................55 Cleveland Volcano ..............................................................................................................................57 Korovin Volcano (Atka) ......................................................................................................................61 Kasatochi Volcano ..............................................................................................................................69 Volcanic Activity, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Northern Kurile Islands, Russia .........................73 Sheveluch Volcano .............................................................................................................................76 Klyuchevskoy Volcano .......................................................................................................................78 Bezymianny Volcano ..........................................................................................................................79 Karymsky Volcano ..............................................................................................................................84 Volcanic Activity, Kurile Islands ................................................................................................................86 Ebeko Volcano .....................................................................................................................................87 Severgin Volcano ................................................................................................................................88 Berga Volcano (Kolokol Group) ........................................................................................................89 Summary........................................................................................................................................................91 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................91 Sources of Photographs in This Report and Other Images of Alaska and Russia ...........................91 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................91 Glossary of Selected Terms and Acronyms ............................................................................................95 Appendix 1. Level of Concern Color Code for Volcanic Activity Used in Alaska (until October 1, 2006) and Kamchatka .......................................................................................99 Appendix 2. Volcano Alert Levels and Revised Aviation Color Codes Used by United States Observatories ................................................................................................................................101 iv Figures Figure 1. Map showing historically active and selected older volcanoes in Alaska along with place names used in this report ……………………………………… 2 Figure 2. Map showing mud volcanoes and possible new mud vent in the Copper River basin ……………………………………………………………………………… 14 Figure 3. Photograph showing possible new mud vent …………………………………… 15 Figure 4. Photograph showing summit ice cauldron at Mount Spurr, March 2006 ………… 19 Figure 5. Forward Looking Infrared Radiometer image mosaic (right) and correlative video frame capture (left) of the north shoreline of the warm lake within the summit ice cauldron ……………………………………………………………… 20 Figure 6. Photograph showing aerial view of Mount Spurr cauldron, April 2006 …………… 21 Figure 7. Photograph showing aerial view of Mount Spurr ice cauldron looking northeast showing area of pressurized fumarolic jets on the sloping crater floor ……………………………………………………………………………… 22 Figure 8. Photograph showing southeast flank of Mount Spurr summit cone showing slab avalanche …………………………………………………………………… 23 Figure 9. Photographs showing view looking northwest of changes at Mount Spurr summit immediately prior to cauldron opening in June 2004 (A) to growth of the cauldron to maximum size 2 years later in June 2006 (B) …………………… 24 Figure 10. Photograph showing oblique aerial view of the upper southeast flank of the Mount Spurr summit cone ………………………………………………………… 25 Figure 11. Photograph showing southern flank of Mount Spurr volcanic complex showing the summit cone, summit caldera ice field, Kidazgeni Glacier, Crater Peak, and location of hydrothermal water sample collected on April 14, 2006 ……………………………………………………………………………… 26 Figure 12. Photograph showing fumarolic plume trailing to the south from Mount Spurr as seen from Anchorage, September 10, 2006 …………………………………… 27 Figure 13. Photograph showing aerial view of the flank of Augustine Volcano, January 12, 2006 ………………………………………………………………… 28 Figure 14. Photograph showing eruption cloud from Augustine Volcano as seen from Kokhanok, Alaska, January 13, 2006 ……………………………………………… 29 Figure 15. Photograph showing first sighting of new lava at the summit of Augustine Volcano, January 16, 2006 ………………………………………………………… 29 Figure 16. Photograph showing steam and gas plume containing minor ash extending northeastward from Augustine Volcano during the continuous eruption phase of activity, January 30, 2006 ……………………………………………………… 30 Figure 17A. Photograph showing view of the north flank of Augustine Volcano with a towering steam and gas plume rising from the 2006 lava dome at the summit,