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 Observtory is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program and the State of Alaska. 2005 Volcanic Activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of Events and Response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5269 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Southeast flank of Augustine Volcano showing summit steaming, superheated fumarole jet, and ash dusting on snow. View is toward the northwest with Iniskin Bay in the distance. Photograph taken by Chris Waythomas, AVO/USGS, December 20, 2005. 2005 Volcanic Activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of Events and Response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory By R.G. McGimsey, C.A. Neal, J.P. Dixon, U.S. Geological Survey, and Sergey Ushakov, Institute of Volcanology and Seismology 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 Geophuysical Surveys. The Alaska Volcano Observatory is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program and the State of Alaska. Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5269 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: 2008 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: McGimsey, R.G., Neal, C.A., Dixon, J.P., and Ushakov, Sergey, 2008, 2005 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 2007–5269, 94 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Volcanic Activity in Alaska .........................................................................................................................14 Mount Spurr Volcano .........................................................................................................................14 Iliamna Volcano ...................................................................................................................................28 Augustine Volcano ..............................................................................................................................31 Katmai Group (Mounts Martin and Magelik, Trident) ...................................................................39 Chiginagak Volcano ............................................................................................................................43 Aniakchak Volcano .............................................................................................................................48 Mount Veniaminof Volcano ...............................................................................................................50 Pavlof/Hague Volcanoes ...................................................................................................................54 Shishaldin Volcano .............................................................................................................................56 Cleveland Volcano ..............................................................................................................................57 Korovin Volcano (Atka) ......................................................................................................................59 Kasatochi Volcano ..............................................................................................................................63 Tanaga Volcano ...................................................................................................................................66 Volcanic Activity in Russia .........................................................................................................................68 Sheveluch Volcano .............................................................................................................................71 Klyuchevskoy Volcano .......................................................................................................................75 Bezymianny Volcano ..........................................................................................................................79 Karymsky Volcano ..............................................................................................................................81 Avachinsky Volcano ...........................................................................................................................82 Mutnovsky Volcano ............................................................................................................................83 Ebeko Volcano .....................................................................................................................................84 Chikurachki Volcano ...........................................................................................................................85 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................86 Sources of Photographs in This Report and Other Images of Alaskan and Russian Volcanoes ...86 Summary........................................................................................................................................................86 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................86 Glossary of Selected Terms and Acronyms ............................................................................................91 iv Figures Figure 1. Map showing location of historically active volcanoes in Alaska and place names used in this summary …………………………………………… 2 Figure 2. Map showing seismically monitored Alaskan volcanoes as of December 31, 2005. …………………………………………………………… 3 Figure 3. Map showing location of Russian and Alaskan volcanoes and their proximity to North Pacific and Russian Trans East air routes …………………… 3 Figure 4. Graph showing seismicity beneath Mount Spurr from 2000 through 2005 ……… 14 Figure 5. Photograph showing growth of the summit ice cauldron at Mount Spurr between July 8, 2004, and August 1, 2005 ……………………………………… 16 Figure 6. Photographs showing development of ice cauldron June 20, 2004, to November 3, 2005 ……………………………………………………………… 17 Figure 7. Visual and FLIR views of the Mount Spurr ice cauldron on April 25, 2005 ……… 22 Figure 8A. Photograph showing location of debris-flow deposits observed on May 2, 2005 ……………………………………………………………………… 23 Figure 8B. Photograph showing close-up of the outflow point, plunge pool, scoured bedrock, and head of the debris-flow deposits (covered by fresh snow) ……… 23 Figure 9. Map showing Mount Spurr area and locations of 2004–05 debris flow deposits and other near summit features ……………………………………… 24 Figure 10. Photographs showing Spurr summit ice cauldron (A) before and (B) after lake-level decline that presumably occurred May 2, 2005 ……………………… 25 Figure 11. Visual and FLIR views of the Mount Spurr ice cauldron on June 21, 2005 ……… 26 Figure 12. Photograph showing evidence of water flow out of the same point source—see figure 8—that produced a small debris flow on May 2, 2005 …… 26 Figure 13. Photographs showing volume of snow and ice melted in the Mount Spurr ice cauldron …………………………………………………………………… 27 Figure 14. Map of area around Iliamna Volcano showing the location of South Twin, the May 15, 2005, rockslide, and seismic station ILS …………………………… 28 Figure 15A. Photograph showing view of Iliamna Volcano from the east …………………… 29 Figure 15B. Photograph showing rock avalanche on the southeast flank of South Twin …… 30 Figure 16. Histogram of number of earthquakes located per day beneath Augustine Volcano from the beginning of 1994, through December 31, 2005 ……………… 31 Figure 17. Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite image taken on December 12, 2005, 2217 UTC, showing a plume (mostly steam with sulfur gas) extending about 145 km (90 mi) towards the southeast ……… 32 Figure 18A. Photograph showing vigorous steaming from multiple fumaroles on the summit of Augustine and the upper southeast flank dusted the southern flanks with remobilized ash ……………………………………………………