SI/USGS Weekly Volcano Activity Report for 11/25-12/1/2009

We get a new update from the Smithsonian/USGS Global Volcanism Program …

Highlights (not counting Soufriere Hills or Gaua) include:

• The Weekly Report mentions the mystery eruption/noneruption of Karkar in PNG. Specifically, they report:

The report also stated that ash had merged with a thunderstorm cloud and had become unidentifiable.

Two ash plumes (11/25, 26) that reached at least 9.1 km / 30,000 feet were reported by the Darwin VAAC … but as we know, it is far from clear that anything actually happened at Karkar last week.

• Activity has quieted significantly at Chaiten in Chile, with only a “diffuse plume” from the dome complex that started forming in May 2008.
• Karymsky, a recent MVP, produced a ~3.8 km / 12,000 foot ash column as its eruptive activity continued.
• Ecuador’s Sangay produced two ash plumes over the last week, one reaching as high as 7.9 km / 26,000 feet according to reports from pilots in the area.
• Rabaul in PNG was busy shaking windows 20 km from the volcano as the Tavurvur cone produced a number of explosions, along with ash and an incandescent glow at the crater.