Bristol Island update 30/5/16

Satellite image from the 26th May 2016 shows some faintly dark lines on Bristol Island suggesting the presence of lava flows and also a dark patch just west-northwest of the Mount Sourabaya area. The dark patch suggests the possibility that a new cinder cone vent may have formed or it could simply be an accumulation of lava.

Image from the 28th May 2016 shows an ash plume drifting northeast and again on the 29th May 2016 only this time it's drifting north-northeast. This could suggest that the activity may have intensified.

On the MODVOLC website a hotspot was detected during most days in May on Bristol island.

Bristol Island on 26th May 2016. SOURCE: Aqua/MODIS/NASA.

Ash plume drifts northeast from Bristol Island on 28th May 2016. SOURCE: Terra/MODIS/NASA.

Ash plume from Bristol Island (bottom centre-left) drifting NNE on 29th May 2016. SOURCE: Suomi NPP/VIIRS/NASA.

Most recent hotspot detection on Bristol Island. SOURCE: MODVOLC.

7.2 magnitude earthquake in South Sandwich Islands

A strong magnitude 7.2 earthquake has hit the South Sandwich Islands on the 28th May 2016. The epicenter of the quake was reported to be about 58km north-northeast of Visokoi Island with a depth of 72.7km (45.2 miles).

Earthquake 28th May 2016. SOURCE: USGS.

Bristol Island update 21/5/16

Nothing really shows up in the satellite image from 17th May 2016 due to cloudy conditions although incandescence is still present over Sourabaya Volcano on Bristol Island suggesting that the eruption is still continuing. Otherwise nothing else could be determined.

Incandescence is still visible despite cloudy conditions. SOURCE: Landsat 8/USGS/NASA.

Bristol Island update 13/5/16

New image from 13th May 2016 shows a plume is still present and drifting northeast indicating that the eruption on Mount Sourabaya continues. A little dark area is also present at the centre-left of the island indicating possible lava activity.

Eruption continues in the image from 13th May 2016. SOURCE: Terra/MODIS/NASA.

Eruption continues on Bristol Island

The satellite image from 10th May 2016 shows a hazy but cloudy sky although Bristol Island is barely visible in the image. Incandescence is still present at the Sourabaya Volcano area as well as a plume which is drifting NE, this indicates that the eruption continues. If you look closely at the area of incandescence you will find that it seems to be faintly elongated which indicates that a lava flow may be occurring. If it is not lava then it may simply be a reflection of the incandescence on the clouds. We can only truly know once we see a cloud free image of the island in the near future.

Incandescence indicates that the eruption is continuing on Sourabaya Volcano. SOURCE: Landsat 8/USGS/NASA.

While I was away...

Between 20th March and 11th April I was away on holiday in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands so I just needed to catch up with a couple of findings on satellite images.

We start first with Saunders Island and in the image from 28th March 2016 a dark area is present on the summit area of Mount Michael, but in other images from various days a gas emission seems to be drifting from Mount Michael.

Dark spot shows up on Mount Michael on the 28th March 2016. SOURCE: Terra/MODIS/NASA.

What appears to be a gas emission from Mount Michael on the 11th April 2016. SOURCE: Terra/MODIS/NASA.

On Zavodovski Island a narrow plume is seen drifting ENE in an image from 30th March indicating that a possible minor ash emission may have occurred. An image from 7th April again shows a narrow plume drifting east but only travelling a shorter distance.

An emission from Zavodovski on the 30th March 2016 which may have contained ash. SOURCE: Suomi/VIIRS/NASA.

Again on 7th April 2016 a plume with suspected ash content. SOURCE: Terra/MODIS/NASA.

Eruption on Bristol Island!

The Landsat 8 satellite images from the 24th April and 1st May 2016 show that an eruption is occurring on the Mount Sourabaya Volcano on Bristol Island. Incandescence is clearly present in the crater area on Mount Sourabaya. A strong whitish plume originating from the crater shows up on the image from 24th April but in the image from 1st May, the whitish plume had diminished but is still present.

In my view, I am convinced that this is an eruption and is of strombolian style. Incandescence in the crater looks fairly intensive. I estimate the eruption to have begun around 19-23 April but could be possible to have started earlier. The last recorded eruption on Bristol Island came in 1956 in an area between Turmoil Point and Mount Sourabaya.

What shows a likely strombolian activity on Mount Sourabaya. SOURCE: Landsat 8/USGS/NASA.

Activity continues as of 1st May 2016. SOURCE: Landsat 8/USGS/NASA.