Mount Soputan erupts, volcanic ash up to 9.1 km, Indonesia

Indonesian Soputan volcano erupted at 09:09 UTC on March 7, 2015, PVMBG advised.

Aviation Color Code was raised to Red.

Volcanic ash was first estimated reaching an altitude of 3.6 km and drifting SW, but was later revised to 9.1 km based on MTSAT-2 IR satellite image.

Based on information from PVMBG and weather models, the Darwin VAAC reported that during February 11 – 12 an eruption at Soputan generated ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 3.7 km a.s.l. and drifted almost 30 km SE. Ash was not identified in satellite images due to darkness and meteorological clouds.

Ash plume rose to an altitude of 6.1 km a.s.l. during the February 2 eruption. A thermal anomaly was visible in satellite images; ash was not visible at the reported altitude, but possible ash was detected to the N at 3 km a.s.l.

Geologic summary

The small Soputan stratovolcano on the southern rim of the Quaternary Tondano caldera on the northern arm of Sulawesi Island is one of Sulawesi's most active volcanoes. The youthful, largely unvegetated volcano rises to 1784 m and is located SW of Sempu volcano.

It was constructed at the southern end of a SSW-NNE trending line of vents. During historical time the locus of eruptions has included both the summit crater and Aeseput, a prominent NE-flank vent that formed in 1906 and was the source of intermittent major lava flows until 1924. (GVP)

Featured image: Eruption of Soputan volcano on January 18, 2015. Image credit: PVMGB