USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-AVO-2023-10-27T10:13:24-08:00

ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY WEEKLY UPDATE
U.S. Geological Survey
Friday, October 27, 2023, 12:24 PM AKDT (Friday, October 27, 2023, 20:24 UTC)

SHISHALDIN (VNUM #311360)
54°45'19" N 163°58'16" W, Summit Elevation 9373 ft (2857 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

No explosive activity occurred at Shishaldin this past week, though observations suggest ongoing degassing of magma at shallow levels beneath the volcano's summit.

Seismic unrest, consisting primarily of tremor and low-frequency earthquakes, remains elevated, but has begun to slowly decline since the last explosive event on October 3. Elevated sulfur dioxide gas emissions were detected in satellite data early in the week, but there were no detections in the past 3 days, and emission rates over the past week have been following a decreasing trend compared to previous weeks. Elevated surface temperatures were observed in satellite views nearly every day, though temperatures are inconsistent with lava at the surface. Clear webcam views this week showed degassing from the summit and a hot, linear feature that extends over 1000 feet down the northeast flank from the summit.

For a full update on the current eruption of Shishaldin, please see the recent Information Statement: https://avo.alaska.edu/activity/report.php?type=1&id=404251&mode=hans

Local seismic and infrasound sensors, web cameras, and a geodetic network monitor Shishaldin Volcano. In addition to the local monitoring network, AVO uses nearby geophysical networks, regional infrasound and lightning data, and satellite observations to detect eruptions.

Shishaldin volcano, located near the center of Unimak Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands, is a spectacular symmetric cone with a base diameter of approximately 10 miles (16 km). A 660 ft-wide (200 m) funnel-shaped summit crater typically emits a steam plume and occasional small amounts of ash. Shishaldin is one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian volcanic arc, with at least 54 episodes of unrest including over 24 confirmed eruptions since 1775. Most eruptions are relatively small, although the April-May 1999 event generated an ash column that reached 45,000 ft. above sea level.

GREAT SITKIN (VNUM #311120)
52°4'35" N 176°6'39" W, Summit Elevation 5709 ft (1740 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Slow eruption of lava is likely continuing at Great Sitkin Volcano. Weakly elevated surface temperatures were observed from the eruptive vent region in satellite images and there were a few small earthquakes each day. There have been no new observations of the lava flow in the past week, but satellite radar observations through October 17 showed continued growth of the eastern branch of the summit lava flow.

The current lava flow at Great Sitkin Volcano began erupting in July 2021. No explosive events have occurred since a single event in May 2021.

The volcano is monitored by local seismic, geodetic, and infrasound sensors, web cameras, regional infrasound and lightning networks, and satellite data.

Great Sitkin Volcano is a basaltic andesite volcano that occupies most of the northern half of Great Sitkin Island, a member of the Andreanof Islands group in the central Aleutian Islands. It is located 26 miles (43 km) east of the community of Adak. The volcano is a composite structure consisting of an older dissected volcano and a younger parasitic cone with a ~1 mile (1.5 km)-diameter summit crater. A steep-sided lava dome, emplaced during the 1974 eruption, occupies the center of the crater. That eruption produced at least one ash cloud that likely exceeded an altitude of 25,000 ft (7.6 km) above sea level. A poorly documented eruption occurred in 1945, also producing a lava dome that was partially destroyed in the 1974 eruption. Within the past 280 years a large explosive eruption produced pyroclastic flows that partially filled the Glacier Creek valley on the southwest flank.

TRIDENT (VNUM #312160)
58°14'3" N 155°6'9" W, Summit Elevation 3599 ft (1097 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Earthquake activity continued this past week with nearly 50 earthquakes located in the vicinity of Trident, and 100 located within the broader Katmai group of volcanoes. The past few weeks have seen a decline in the number of deeper earthquakes beneath Trident, and only one deep event occurred this past week on October 20 at 19 miles (30 km) below sea level. This may suggest that deeper movement of fluids and/or magma is diminishing. No significant volcanic activity was observed in satellite and web camera data this week.

The current period of unrest began in August 2022. Since then, most earthquakes have occurred within the shallow crust, with depths less than 4 miles (6 km) below sea level; however, deeper quakes (greater than 9 miles or 15 km depth) were notable during much of the unrest period. Surface uplift, low-frequency earthquakes, and seismic tremor – all consistent with magmatic activity – have been observed over this extended period as well.

Increases in seismic activity have been detected previously at Trident Volcano and other similar volcanoes and did not result in eruptions. We expect additional shallow seismicity and other signs of unrest, such as gas emissions, elevated surface temperatures, and ground movement, to precede any future eruption if one were to occur.    

Trident Volcano is monitored by local seismic sensors, web cameras, regional infrasound and lightning networks, and satellite data.

Trident is one of the Katmai group of volcanoes located within Katmai National Park and Preserve on the Alaska Peninsula. Trident consists of a complex of four cones and numerous lava domes, all andesite and dacite in composition, that reach as high as 6,115 ft. (1,864 m) above sea level. An eruption beginning in 1953 constructed the newest cone, Southwest Trident, and four lava flows on the flank of the older complex. This eruption continued through 1974 and produced ash (an initial plume rose to 30,000 ft. or 9 km above sea level), bombs, and lava at various times. Fumaroles remain active on the summit of Southwest Trident and on the southeast flank of the oldest, central cone. Trident is located 92 miles (148 km) southeast of King Salmon and 273 miles (440 km) southwest of Anchorage.

BOGOSLOF (VNUM #311300)
53°55'38" N 168°2'4" W, Summit Elevation 492 ft (150 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Over the past week, nearly 120 earthquakes have been detected in the vicinity of Bogoslof volcano. This increase in earthquake activity prompted AVO to raise the Aviation Color Code and Volcano Alert Level to YELLOW/ADVISORY on Tuesday, October 24. Seismicity remains elevated through Friday with earthquakes ranging from magnitude 2 to 3.0. Many smaller events are also recorded, but formal locations and magnitudes for these events are difficult to obtain with the limited seismic network. Increases in seismic activity typically precede eruptions, but many volcanoes have exhibited similar behavior that did not result in eruptions. There have been no other signs of unrest observed in satellite data over the past week.

Bogoslof volcano is monitored using a single local seismic station, distant seismic and infrasound instruments, satellite data and lightning networks.

Bogoslof Island is the largest of a cluster of small, low-lying islands making up the emergent summit of a large submarine stratovolcano. The highest point above sea level prior to this eruption was about 100 m (300 ft); however, the volcano is frequently altered by both eruptions and wave erosion and has undergone dramatic changes in historical time. The two main islands currently above sea level are Fire Island and Bogoslof Island, both located about 98 km (61 mi) northwest of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, 123 km (76 mi) northeast of Nikolski, and 149 km (93 mi) northeast of Akutan. The volcano is situated slightly north (behind) the main Aleutian volcanic front. Bogoslof volcano is within the USFWS Aleutian Maritime Wildlife Refuge and is habitat for marine mammals and seabirds.

At least nine historical eruptions have been documented at Bogoslof volcano. Previous eruptions of the volcano have lasted weeks to months, and have on occasion produced ash fall on Unalaska. These eruptions are often characterized by multiple explosive, ash-producing events as well as the growth of lava domes. The most recent occurred from December 2016 to August 2017 and produced seventy main explosive events that generated volcanic ash clouds that rose as high as 13 km (42,500 ft) above sea level, and that greatly modified the topography of Bogoslof Island.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Chris Waythomas, Acting Scientist-in-Charge, USGS cwaythomas@usgs.gov (907) 786-7497

Jessica Larsen, Acting Coordinating Scientist, UAFGI jflarsen@alaska.edu (907) 378-5460

The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.