Volcano activity of August 18-19-20, 2012 – Kilauea, Cleveland, El Hierro, Havre seamount, Fyego, Santiaguito, Bagana, Sakurajima, Batu Tara etc

This (almost) daily post intends to follow up the activity changes of volcanoes all over the world.
This post is written by geologist Richard Wilson who specializes in Volcano seismicity and Armand Vervaeck. Please feel free to tell us about new or changed activity if we haven’t written about it. -

August , 2012 volcano activity

While the absence of Rodger, geology job in back-country,  we have to divide our time in between volcanoes and earthquakes. 2 major deadly earthquakes in a week time (Iran and Indonesia) have put some pressure on our daily volcano activity updates.

Kilauea volcano, Hawaii : At the summit, DI inflation continued and the lava lake level displayed subtle changes but no obvious net loss or gain. At Pu`u `O`o, there were no significant changes in the crater. To the southeast of Pu`u `O`o, scattered lava flows were active at the base of the pali. Seismic tremor levels were slightly elevated at the summit, low elsewhere; gas emissions were elevated.

A small explosive event occurred at Cleveland volcano yesterday, August 19, at approximately 6:55 PM ADT (2:55 UTC on August 20). Satellite images showed that a low level ash cloud tracked to the southeast and dispersed over several hours. Retrospective analysis of ground-coupled airwaves in seismic data further confirmed the explosion. AVO has received no reports of activity from mariners or pilots in the vicinity of the volcano.

The news swarm below El Hierro who started a couple of days ago has lost his power again although vertical deformation from the last 2 days shows an inflation.

The pumice found by NZ Army plane was not coming from Monowai seamount as previously said, but from Havre seamount, a submarine volcano with a crater 1100 meter below the surface. Based on the quantity of pumice found in the ocean (approx. 25,000 sq. km) and the big greenish stain, the eruption must have been very powerful.
A sequence of earthquakes of July 17 / 18

In Guatemala, Fuego volcano and Santiaguito are continuing their eruption pattern

Activity observed by satellites
VAAC Darwin is still sending alerts to aviation for Batu Tara volcano, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia (see also satellite image)
VAAC Tokyo reports that Sakurajima erupted today at 10:09 UTC
VAAC Washington reports many times per day about the eruption of Mt. Tungurahua, Ecuador

SO2satellite imagery shows also strong SO2 clouds above Niyragongo, popocatepetl, Nevado del Ruiz and Tungurahua. Weaker clouds at Sakurajima and Bagana,

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