Cloud-free satellite image of Nishinoshima volcano erupting, Japan
This cloud-free image of the Nishinoshima volcano erupting on January 16, 2023, was captured by Sentinel-2 satellite and processed by Pierre Markuse.
Nishinoshima is a volcanic island located in the Pacific Ocean, about 1 000 kilometers (620 miles) south of Tokyo, Japan. The island is part of the Ogasawara Islands, also known as the Bonin Islands, which are an administrative district of Japan.
Nishinoshima is an active volcano and has been in a state of near-constant eruption since November 2013. The eruption has been primarily effusive, characterized by the steady outpouring of lava from vents on the volcano’s flanks. The lava flow created a new island, which has been gradually growing and merging with an older island — the summit of a massive submarine volcano.
The volcanic activity has been closely monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Japan Coast Guard, who have issued warnings and advisories to ships and aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano. In addition, the island has been closed to the public due to the potential hazards posed by the eruption.
Nishinoshima is also important for the study of volcanic islands, as it is one of the few places in the world where scientists can observe the formation and growth of an island in real-time.
Image credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2, Pierre Markuse
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