Lava dome at Sheveluch volcano continues to grow, Russia

While activity at the Russian Sheveluch volcano sharply dropped at the beginning of September 2021, its lava dome continues growing, accompanied by strong fumarolic activity, incandescence of the lava dome, and hot avalanches.

Satellite data still shows a bright thermal anomaly over the volcano and the Aviation Color Code remains at Orange (the second-highest level on a four-color scale).¹

The volcano produced hot lava avalanches in the second half of August.

During that period, a daily bright thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images and gas-and-steam plumes containing some ash drifted 307 km (190 miles) NE, E, and SE.²

At 11:00 LT on August 29 an ash plume 14 x 15 km (8.7 x 9.3 miles) in dimension drifted 30 km (18.6 miles) W at altitudes of 2.5 – 3 km (8 200 – 10 000 feet) above sea level.

On August 28 the Kamchatka Branch of Geophysical Services noted that small landslides and hot avalanches periodically traveled down the S and SE flanks of the dome. Larger landslides were observed 2 – 4 times per night.

Sheveluch volcano on September 4, 2021. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2, EO Browser, TW

Sheveluch volcano on September 4, 2021. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2 (SWIR), EO Browser, TW

References:

¹ KVERT DAILY REPORT Kamchatkan and Kuriles Volcanic Activity September 06, 2021, all time is UTC

² Global Volcanism Program, 2021. Report on Sheveluch (Russia). In: Sennert, S K (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 25 August-31 August 2021. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Featured image credit: Y. Demyanchuk (volkstat.ru)