Eruption at Shishaldin volcano, ash cloud to 7.3 km (24 000 feet) a.s.l., Alaska
A new eruption is taking place at Shishaldin volcano, Alaska on January 3, 2020, with ash cloud rising to 6 – 7.3 km (20 000 – 24 000 feet) above sea level at 21:00 UTC, drifting E-SE.
According to Alaska Volcano Observatory, the level of seismicity has increased to moderate levels and several pilot observations of ash clouds have been reported to AVO.
The ash cloud is visible in satellite data and extends 24 – 32 km (15-20 miles), southeast of the volcano.
Shishaldin remains at Aviation Color Code ORANGE and Alert Level WATCH. The National Weather Service has issued SIGMET to 7.3 km (24 000 feet) above sea level.
According to GOES-West satellite imagery, the eruption started at around 19:00 UTC.
The image below was captured on January 2, 2020, by Sentinel-2:
Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2 – Natural SWIR / Antonio Vecoli / AdamPlatform
Geological summary
The beautifully symmetrical volcano of Shishaldin is the highest and one of the most active volcanoes of the Aleutian Islands. The 2857-m-high (9 379 feet), glacier-covered volcano is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes along an E-W line in the eastern half of Unimak Island.
The Aleuts named the volcano Sisquk, meaning "mountain which points the way when I am lost." A steady steam plume rises from its small summit crater. Constructed atop an older glacially dissected volcano, it is Holocene in age and largely basaltic in composition.
Remnants of an older ancestral volcano are exposed on the west and NE sides at 1 500 -1 800 m (4 920 – 5 900 feet) elevation. There are over two dozen pyroclastic cones on its NW flank, which is blanketed by massive aa lava flows.
Frequent explosive activity, primarily consisting of strombolian ash eruptions from the small summit crater, but sometimes producing lava flows, has been recorded since the 18th century. (GVP)
Featured image credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2 – Natural SWIR / Antonio Vecoli / AdamPlatform. Acquired January 2, 2020.
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.