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Okmok Volcano Eruption, the Aleutians, Alaska, July 13, 2008 2:19 pm AKDT Summary A strong explosive eruption is underway at Okmok Volcano on Umnak Island in the eastern Aleutians. For more information about the current alert levels please visit the AVO website. All areas immediately around the volcano are considered hazardous. Airborne ash and gas continues to drift with the wind and pose a hazard to aviation in the area. Additional ash fall will occur on Umnak Island and possibly adjacent islands as long as the eruption continues. Observations and Background The eruption began abruptly at 11:43 AM on July 12 after about an hour of rapidly escalating earthquake activity. Ash and gas from the initial explosions reached at least 50,000 feet above sea level on July 12 and drifted as a large cloud south and east where it remains in the atmosphere above the North Pacific. Satellite tracking of the ash cloud by traditional techniques has been hampered by the high water content. Heavy ash fall occurred on the eastern portion of Umnak Island; a dusting of ash also occurred for several hours in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. At this time, based on AVO analysis of satellite data, ash is continuing to erupt from a vent that appears to have formed to the northwest of Cone D (located east of the center of the caldera). The eruption looks to be very water-rich due to interaction of rising magma with very shallow groundwater and surficial water inside the caldera. We have few direct observations into the caldera and details of the current event remain unknown. Click Here for a full resolution view of the image. 6.0 MBytes. Please see our Featured Image Archive for previous featured images. |
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Revised - 2006-08-08
Revised - 2006-08-08