EL HIERRO - CANARIAS

Locate a new mouth of the volcano eruption of El Hierro- Monday November 21, 2011

Bubbling restarts the Sea of ​​Calm

LAPROVINCIA.ES On the morning of Monday, scientists moved to El Hierro have located a new eruptive mouth in the Sea of ​​calms.

Members of the Helicopter Unit of the Civil Guardica, currently works with INVOLCAN in the monitoring of the eruption in the South of La Restinga, located a new eruptive mouth. This new emission zone is located east of the other two eruptive mouths and transverse to them.

In turn, in the area where has been located this new eruptive mouth appeared slightly bubbling.

Traduced by google

http://www.laprovincia.es/especiales/2011/11/21/localizan-nueva-boc...

Increase in the emission of CO2 in El Hierro Monday November 21, 2011

The gas fumes yesterday reached 1663 tons per day, a value 4.83 times the average standard

http://www.laprovincia.es/especiales/2011/11/21/aumenta-emision-co2...

NOV 22 :

Mexico on Alert over Popocatepetl Volcano Eruption

Mexico's largest active volcano Popocatepetl continued to spew smoke and ashes on Monday near the capital, the National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred) said.

Popocatepetl, located some 60 km southeast of the Mexico City, had a total of four low-intensity exhalations after a powerful explosion around midday on Sunday, Carlos Gutierrez, head of research at Cenapred, said.

The smoke was clearly visible from the capital with some 20 million inhabitants as well as nearby cities in the central provinces of Puebla, Morelos and Mexico.

Cenapred maintained a yellow alert for the area, Gutierrez said

Access to the volcano has been restricted to a radius of 12 km around the crater after Sunday's explosion, which was reported to happen at 12:05 p.m. local time (1805 GMT) and ejected smoke and ash over 7 km high into the air.

The explosion startled nearby residents, but officials said no damage or injuries had been reported so far....

source

EL HIERRO - CANARIAS

Scientists confirm the emergence of a new eruptive mouth Tuesday November 22, 2011

Scientists at the Institute of the Canaries have confirmed new gas discharge that occurred on Monday at 200 meters from the usual focus
Scientists from INVOLCAN have confirmed the observation of a new sudden release of volcanic gases by the Unit Guard Helicopter civil Canary at 11:40 hours on Monday November 21, as published by this organization in his Facebook page. This visible emission of volcanic gases was located about 200 meters east of the main zone of gas emissions and volcanic material that occurs south of the Restinga from mid-October 2011.

Upon returning to the area with scientists from INVOLCAN , the intensity of the fumes disappeared, as has happened on some occasions as the November 4, 2011, so that the second helicopter GES could not take pictures of the event. The observations confirm the existence of shock or sudden pulses of gas by submarine eruptive activity south of the Restinga then disappear but are of great use to detect and locate new or mouths emission sources associated with this eruptive volcanic process.

The geographic coordinates of this new sudden release of gases has been North 27 º 607547 - 991288 -17 º West.

Traduced by google
http://www.laprovincia.es/especiales/2011/11/22/cientificos-confirm...

Scientists confirm the emergence of a new eruptive mouth

NOV 23 :

Chile, Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex - Chile volcanic ash halts flights

Flights were cancelled for several hours in Uruguay and Argentina Tuesday due to volcanic ash from the four-month-long eruption of the Puyehue volcano in Chile, airport authorities said.

Laura Vanoli, Uruguay's chief aeronautic meteorologist, said the country was almost entirely covered by an ash cloud.

"It's remnants of ash," she said, adding that there will be a risk of disruption as long as the volcano remains active.

About a dozen flights by airlines including Aerolineas Argentinas, American, Iberia and TACA were suspended in Uruguay, while other flights were delayed, the website of the Carrasco International Airport serving Montevideo said.

In Buenos Aires, airport authorities said some 20 flights were cancelled, and said other flights were delayed because of poor visibility due to the ash.

However by the afternoon air traffic was returning to normal in both Uruguay and Argentina, though with delays due to the postponed flights.

Since the volcano's eruption on June 4, air travel in much of the southern cone of South America, and as far away as Australia, has been periodically disrupted by ash clouds streaming east out of the Chilean Andes.

Chile's National Geology and Mining Service said that ashes from the Puyehue -- which continues belching, though at a lower intensity -- could affect air travel for months.

The decision to delay or cancel flights is taken by the airlines over concern about how the fine ash would affect airplane engines.

Source

NOV 23 :

Indonesia, Anak Krakatau volcano - Volcano still producing white smoke

Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) in the Sunda Strait was still producing white smoke on Wednesday (23/11/2011) The Disaster Mitigation Center Vulkanalogi and Geology (PVMBG) still sets the status of the mountain level III or Standby.

"In the past two days, GAK continuously produced white smoke, "said the Head of the Rural Post Pasauran Monitor GAK, Sub Cinangka, Serang Regency, Banten Province, Anton Tripambudi. He explained that the smoke from the stomach of a white GAK and leads to the high seas . "Cloud of smoke as usual, the wind carried it to the sea," he said.

With such condition, the mountain is still undergoing an eruption and seismic activity, yet interesting PVMBG recommendation of evacutaion is just 2 mile radios around GAK.."We are still prohibited anyone approaching the seismic location up to a radius of two miles, because it is still dangerous, "he said.

PVMBG prohibition made ​​by the date of 30 September 2011, performed for the common good, because the material released by GAK are still dangerous due to seismic activity. However, he announced to the fishermen and local people to keep doing normal activities, like fishing.

Source

NOV 23 :

El Hierro volcano - Coastguards in Cornwall have had to issue warnings to sailors to inform them that a new island has appeared in the Canary Islands

The island has been formed by molten lava pushing up from the seabed.

Falmouth Coastguard, which deals with incidents in the Atlantic, said it confirmed the new island with coastguards in Spain.

Richie Williams, from Falmouth Coastguard, said they were passing on warnings from the Spanish.

He said: "They've issued a navigation warning to this effect and have put a four nautical mile cordon around that area

"Vessels are being advised to take extreme caution when approaching."

Source

NOV 25 :

Japan, Sakurajima volcano – Two large eruptions

Source

NOV 25 :

Colombia, Galeras volcano – The level of volcanic activity was increased to orange alert, volcano could erupt within weeks or days.

The Galeras volcano in Colombia's western department of Nariño could erupt within weeks or days.

The level of volcanic activity was increased to orange alert Thursday 9PM by the Colombian Geological Service and the Volcanology and Seismology Observatory of Pasto, which are monitoring the activity of Galeras. The institutions stated that in the last 24 hours, tremors have been registered that have similar characteristics to those in the period prior to the majority of eruptions, which occurred between 1992 and 2010. There has been a reduction in the emission of gases, reflected in the low values of sulphur dioxide measured, both coming from craters and fields of volcanic fissures. Some 8,000 people live in the area surrounding the volcano that reawakened in 1988. The Colombian Geological Service will continue to monitor the situation of the Galeras volcano.

Source

NOV 27 :

El Hierro volcano – 3 lava stones picked up for examining, harmonic tremor remains strong

Source

EL HIERRO- CANARIAS

The rate of CO2 in El Hierro is seven times higher than normal Tuesday November 29, 2011

This increase reflects a movement of magma from deep positions to shallower

The results reflect the record of an upward trend of the diffuse emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere by the volcano island of El Hierro has reached 2398 ± 115 tons per day, an amount equivalent to almost seven times the value considered normal average for the diffuse emission of CO2 in El Hierro (345 tons per day

This increase reflects diffuse emission of CO2 in magmatic-hydrothermal system existing in the island of El Hierro is increasing as a result of movement of magma from deep positions to shallower favoring exsolution of CO2 dissolved in the molten silicate (magma).

On the other hand, explain that the gases are the driving force of volcanic eruptions and the importance of CO2 in the volcanic surveillance programs since not only is the second major component of volcanic gases after water vapor but addition to its low solubility in molten silicitados (magma) favors the CO2 to escape with its ease of volcanic systems in depth.

Traduced by google

http://www.laprovincia.es/especiales/2011/11/29/tasa-co2-hierro-sie...

NOV 30 :

Ecuador, Tungurahua volcano - Ecuadorean volcano spews red-hot rock and ash; populations abandon risk area

Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano spewed red-hot rock and ash Tuesday as officials upgraded their eruption warning level to orange and some at-risk communities began evacuations. The 5,029-meter (16,500-foot) volcano in the country's central Andes, about 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of the capital Quito, has been active since 1999 but its thermal activity has steadily increased since Sunday, sending pyroclastic boulders into the air and cascading down from the summit. Good weather prevailed on Monday night, allowing scientists to observe "the continuous output of incandescent material," the Geophysical Institute said in its latest report. "This activity was characterized by the expulsion of incandescent boulders, rising more than 300 meters above the crater and rolling down all sides of the volcano."

The increased activity prompted authorities to raise the alert level from yellow to orange, just below the highest alert level or red, in the impact zone which includes several communities on the volcano's slopes, according to the National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR). Authorities have inspected and prepared shelters ahead of possible evacuation orders, while the military and police were being told to coordinate efforts in the area, SNGR said. "Given the level of alert, populations located in risk areas such as Cusua, Juive, Palictahua and Manzano voluntarily evacuated to safer locations," the relief agency said Monday. The Geophysical Institute on Tuesday recommended people leave high-risk areas "because the current eruption process began abruptly and has generated several pyroclastic flows that have affected the upper flanks of the volcano." Several communities in the shadow of Tungurahua, including the tourist town of Banos with 15,000 people, were forced to evacuate during the volcano's violent eruption in 1999. Residents could only return to their homes one year later. A red alert was declared last December when Tungurahua -- which means "Throat of Fire" in the indigenous Quechua language -- reactivated, prompting a temporary evacuation of residents and tourists.

Source

Pictures from erupting volcanoes right now....

Nyamulagira volcano, Congo

Stromboli volcano, Italy

Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

Puyehue-Cordon caulle, Chile

Etna volcano, Italy

Nyiragongo volcano, Congo

El Hierro volcano, Canary Islands

Source

DEC 2 :

Taiwan, Mud volcano in Pingtung erupts

Wandan mud dome, one of Taiwan's 17 active mud volcanoes, erupted early Friday after nearly a year of inactivity, spilling mud flows of up to two meters high. Up to noon Friday, hot gray mud was still spewing from the volcano in Pingtung County and residents could be seen lighting fires nearby to burn off the gases emitted by the volcano. The mud flowing from three cracks in Hsinyuan Township spread to a public cemetery and a corn field but no other damage was reported. The eruption occurred south of Wandan Township, where the first eruption in the 1720s was recorded. The eruptions typically take place once or twice every year near the border between the two towns. There has not been an eruption in Hsinyuan itself for nearly half a century, according to residents.

Source

* Mud volcano in Pingtung erupts, covers cemetery [FOCUS TAIWAN; 2011/12/02]: Commented by Sevan Makaracı below.

* A cemetery in Pingtung County is shown after a mud volcano erupted yesterday. Because some of the spouts were in a graveyard, many graves were destroyed as a result.Dec 03, 2011 (Photo: CNA)

FULL STORY [TAIPEI TIMES; Dec 03, 2011]

DEC 6 :

Indonesia, Mt.Gamala volcano update - Around 30km from the volcano, was closed yesterday.

A volcano eruption in eastern Indonesia forced the closure of a nearby airport yesterday and blanketed villages with thick ash. No injuries had been reported. State volcanologist Surono said Mount Gamalama spewed clouds of thick grey ash into the air late on Sunday. Slow moving red lava was also visible at its peak. Mr Surono added that an airport in Ternate, around 30km from the volcano, was closed yesterday. Gamalama's last major eruption was in 2003. No deaths were reported then. Indonesia has about 500 volcanoes. Of these, 128 are active and 65 are listed as dangerous.

Source

DEC 6 :

Japan, Sakurajima volcano - Ten eruptions in less than one day !

Tsunami Threat from Underwater Volcanoes Dragged into Tonga Trench

link to video

"new images reveal how tectonic action is dragging huge volcanoes into the Tonga Trench, a fault line which runs north from New Zealand towards Tonga and Samoa."

DEC 8 :

Indonesia, Sundoro volcano

Sundoro volcano in central Java was raised to level 2 alert on 6th December 2011 after an increase in seismicity. The temperature of fumaroles at the summit increased from 75 deg C on 26th November to 95 deg C on 2nd December. On 2nd December a plume from the summit rose several tens of metres above the rim of the crater. The number of volcanic earthquakes were measured as 3 in October, 13 in November and 20 between 1-4 December. A 2 km exclusion zone has been placed around the volcano...

Source

DEC 9 :

Japan, Sakurajima volcano - Mt. Sakurajima explosively erupted late Thursday for the 897th time this year

Mt. Sakurajima, an active volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture, explosively erupted late Thursday for the 897th time this year, breaking its annual record for the third consecutive year, the local observatory said. The volcano has had a record number of explosive eruptions each year since 2009, when it erupted 548 times, beating the previous record of 474 set in 1985. In 2010, there were 896 eruptions. Observation of the volcano began in 1955. The latest eruption was observed at the 800-meter-high Showa crater, which has erupted 895 times this year. It has been a frequent site of activity since 2008, after erupting in June 2006 for the first time in 58 years. Iguchi Masato, associate professor at Kyoto University's Sakurajima Volcano Research Center, said the volcano could become extremely active in January or February, as eruptions since 2009 have tended to increase before New Year, and a new monthly record of 141 explosions was marked in September.

Source

DEC 9 :

Myanmar,  Kyaukphyu Mud-volcano - An earthquake in Rakhine State has caused underground water temperatures to rise, setting off volcano eruptions of mud and small amounts of lava

An earthquake in Rakhine State has caused underground water temperatures to rise, setting off volcano eruptions of mud and small amounts of lava. Retired geologist Soe Thein said volcanos in the Kyaukphyu Township area on Ramree Island were set off along a fault line. More volcano mud eruptions might occur, he said, but there is no danger or need for mass evacuations. “When there is earth crust movement in these fault lines, there will be underground water circulation and more water will move up to the surface as hot springs, but they are not like real volcanoes. They do not pose a danger to people,” Soe Thein said. The highest number of underground hot spring fault lines is in Kyaukphyu Township. The hot spring fault line runs through Magwe Region. A mud volcano erupted on November 26 on a small hill one mile west of Bawyabaya village, about 32 miles from Kyaukphyu. The eruption sent magma and lava 15-feet into the air, and about 5 acres of nearby land was covered by magma....

Source

DEC 11 :

Hawaii,  Kilauea volcano - A lava flow has reached the old Royal Gardens subdivision and is burning forest in a kipuka

A lava flow has reached the old Royal Gardens subdivision and is burning forest in a kipuka. Lava is also advancing across the coastal plain towards the ocean. At the summit of Kilauea volcano there is a lava lake in a vent 75 m below the floor of Halemaumau crater. On the east rift zone lava periodically appears in Pu’u O’o crater.

Source, Source2

DEC 14 :

Hawaii, Kilauea volcano - Lava from Kīlauea’s remote Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent has again reached the ocean.

Lava from Kīlauea’s remote Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent has again reached the ocean within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park boundaries, at a spot scientists have named the West Ka‘ili‘ili ocean entry.

The arduous hike to West Ka‘ili‘ili from the bottom of Chain of Craters Road is approximately four miles one-way across an uneven flow field. Currently, several streams of lava are pouring into the ocean, providing dramatic views. Visitors who stay after dark can also see channels of lava flowing down the pali and across the flow field, but conditions can change at any time.

Hikers need to heed all warning signs and ranger advisories, and be aware of earth cracks and crevices, sharp terrain and rain-slick pāhoehoe lava and other hazards. Steam plumes produced by lava entering the sea contain fine lava fragments and acid droplets that can be harmful. Scientists also confirmed that a lava delta is being formed at the base of a sea cliff at West Ka‘ili‘ili, and are monitoring the area closely. Lava deltas can collapse with little warning, produce hot rock falls inland, and generate large local waves....

Source

DEC 17 :

Indonesia, Ijen volcano - Alert level raised to yellow

The alert level of Ijen volcano in East Java has been raised to alert/unrest (2 out of 4) due to increased seismic activity and increased temperatures and fumaroles inside the crater, famous for its turquoise acid lake and the sulfur deposits, which are being quarried by workers.

An exclusion zone of 1 km around the crater has been established. Workers and tourists are currently not allowed to go inside the crater.

Source

DEC 28 :

Indonesia, Mt.Gamalama volcano - Lava flood kills 4 near Indonesian volcano

Officials say fast-moving mudflows streaming from the mouth of a volcano in eastern Indonesia have killed four villagers.About 1,000 others have fled their homes.

Mount Gamalama, located in the Molucca Islands, sprang back to life this month with a powerful, non-fatal eruption. Government spokesman Yusuf Sunnya said Wednesday that days of heavy rains triggered flows of cold lava, rocks and other debris that slammed into villages near the base Tuesday night. He said four people were killed and more than a dozen others were hospitalized with injuries ranging from broken bones to head wounds. Indonesia is a vast archipelago with millions of people living on mountains or near fertile flood plains. ....

Source

JAN 2 :

Leacher See, GERMANY - Carbon dioxide bubbles on the lakes surface / Fresh volcanic activity underneath Germany's Laacher See lake worrying experts

Fresh activity near a dormant 'super volcano' in Germany has left experts worried about a possible eruption.

Britain's Daily Mail wrote the eruption from the 'monster' underneath Laacher See lake near Bonn, could eject billions of tons of magma which in turn could cause widespead devastation in Europe and even 'short-term global cooling'.

Volcanologists have estimated the mountain's size to be similar to that of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines - responsible for the biggest ejection of the 20th century.

Pinatubo threw up '10 billion tons of magma, 20 billion tons of sulphur dioxide 16 cubic kilometres of ash and caused a 0.5C drop in global temperatures'.

Experts near the Laacher See site have detected carbon dioxide bubbles on the lake's surface and believe the mountain in Germany could be active again.

Source

Mt. Etna Spews Lava & Ash in 1st Eruption of 2012

"Catania residents see big cloud of smoke; lava flows from South East crater, a column of ash rises to a height of 5,000 meters.

"The eruption did not affect residential areas, but the volcano activity was reportedly classified as "critically high."

Africa, Lava Flow near Nyamuragira Volcano (Jan 3)

After bursting to life with 300-meter (1,000-foot) tall lava fountains in November 2011, the eruption of central Africa’s Nyamuragira Volcano continued into the new year.

These satellite images show the volcano on the morning of January 3, 2012. In the natural-color image (top), an active lava flow snakes to the northeast, while the central vent and a volcanic plume rich in sulfur dioxide are also visible. According to volcanologist Erik Klemetti of the Eruptions blog, the orange color and narrow trace of the flow suggest that it is open to the air, unlike flows on Kilauea which are usually carried through lava tubes. Older flows and undisturbed forest are also visible.

The false-color image (lower) shows the summit of Nyamuragira and nearby Nyiragongo Volcano. The heat of the active lava flow causes it to glow in shortwave and near-infrared light, giving a bright red-orange appearance. A lava lake within the summit crater of Nyiragongo is also glowing.

These images were acquired by the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) aboard the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite.

Source

JAN 5

INDONESIA, MT.LEWOTOLOK VOLCANO

Hundreds evacuate as activity rises at Indonesia’s Mount Lewotolok

Hundreds of people living near a volcano in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara were evacuated on Thursday because of increased volcanic activity, the Antara news agency reported.

About 500 people residing near Mount Lewotolok in Lembata district abandoned their homes amid the volcano's mounting activity. "Most of them left for the nearest city, Lewoleba," said Lembata Deputy District Chief Viktor Mado Watun, as quoted by Antara. "All related government officials will soon hold a coordination meeting to deal with the latest situation."

"Black smoke columns are coming out of the mountain's crater, the air is filled with the smell of sulfur while rumbling sounds are heard around the mountain," he added.

Residents decided to leave due to the increasing activity of Mount Lewotolok over the past few days, even though the government has not yet announced an evacuation plan. Viktor said ten villages are likely to be affected and suffer material losses if the volcano erupts.

On January 2, the country's Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) raised the alert level at the volcano to level 3. The center uses a warning system with four levels of alerts, with level 1 being the lowest and level 4 being the highest...

Source

New activity at El Hierro in the Canary Islands (Jan 6)

El Hierro is showing renewed vigor. New video from INVOLCAN and images from the webcams show that the sea surface is steaming and reports from people at El Hierro say that new pyroclastic chunks (the “coconuts”) have been spotted as well. Diario El Hierro is reporting an increase in seismic tremor at the volcano over the last 24 hours.

Source

Fire and Ice at Kizimen Volcano Sunday, 15 January 2012

The low-in-the-sky winter sun casts extraordinarily long shadows in this satellite image of Russia’s Kizimen Volcano. A light-colored plume, likely steam-rich, rises above Kizimen’s summit, while a growing lava flow (mostly hidden by gases) descends the eastern flank. Emissions of ash, lava, and volcanic gases have been nearly continuous since the eruption started in November 2010.

This false-color image was acquired on January 11, 2012, by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer aboard the Terra satellite. Snow covers the landscape at high altitudes, and the evergreen forests to the north of the volcano are dark red-brown. The light brown hills nearby are covered with leafless deciduous trees poking above the snow.

Reference:

Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team. (2012, January 12). KVERT Information Releases. Accessed January 13, 2012.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using data from the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.

http://sawdis1.blogspot.com/2012/01/fire-and-ice-at-kizimen-volcano...

JAN 17 :

Eruption continues unabated at Congo’s Nyamulagira Volcano

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2RlsEMDa60&feature=player_embedded

Latest satellite image of world's newest island appeared at Red Sea after volcanic explosion

Source

JAN 17

GREECE, SANTORINI VOLCANO

Santorini volcano, Greece, seismic unrest 2011-12

JAN 19

JAPAN, SAKURAJIMA VOLCANO - LARGE EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS

Tungurahua volcano (Ecuador), activity update: new eruptions and lahars

IG reported a new episode of activity and increased seismicity from Tungurahua during 11-17 January. On 12 January ashfall was reported in Manzano (8 km SW), Cahuají (8 km SW), and Choglontus (13 km WSW). 
A lahar descended the Achupashal drainage, carrying blocks up to 1 m in diameter, and caused the road to Baños (9 km N) to be closed. Cloud cover prevented observations of the crater. On 13 January ash-and-gas emissions were observed, and ash plumes rose as high as 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Ash-fall was reported in Palitahua (6 km SSW) and roaring noises were heard in Cusúa (8 km NW) and Manzano. 
On 14 January ash emissions rose 500 m above the crater and drifted WSW; ashfall was reported in Choglontus, Palitahua, and Manzano. Clouds obscured views on 15 January; however ashfall was reported in Palitahua and Manzano. Lahars descended drainages in Juive (NW) and Pondoa (N), carrying blocks 10-20 cm in diameter.

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/view_news/4459/Tungurahua-volcano-E...

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Jan 21, Iceland - Earthquakes in Hekla volcano

Jan 24

El Hierro volcano - Strong submarine eruptions: Boiling water surface / Lava ballons are surfacing

It seems that the submarine volcano south of Restinga village is very active and already there is steam on the seasurface...(Source)

...suddenly a big quantity of lava balloons are surfacing....(Source)

Unrest at Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica Thursday, 26 January 2012

(Click on image for larger view.)

Turrialba is the eastern-most of Costa Rica’s active volcanoes. A series of small explosive eruptions began there in January 2010, the first substantial activity at Turrialba since the 1860s. The 2010 explosions were presaged by the opening of small gas vents (fumaroles) beginning in 2006. A new vent, located on the southeastern flank of the volcano’s West Crater, opened on January 12, 2012. According to the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, the new vent exhibited “a vigorous output of bluish gas at high temperature (T > 592°C) that generated a jet-like sound audible from the visitor lookout.” Activity since 2010 had been confined to a larger vent on the southwest flank of the West Crater, which continues to be the major source of emissions.

This image was acquired on January 21, 2012, by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Reflection and Emission Radiometer (ASTER) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite. The false-color image is a combination of near infrared, red, and green light. Healthy vegetation is bright red, while vegetation damaged by years of acidic gas emissions is brown. Bare ground in the summit craters is brown or gray.

The rock is very weak at the summit of Turrialba due to the intense rains of the region and the persistent hydrothermal activity at the summit. This means that new vents can open at the summit when pressure in the conduit is high enough to make its way through the weakened rock. The activity of January 12 was a pressure release at the summit through the hydrothermally-altered “rotten rock,” not a magmatic or phreatic (steam-driven) eruption.

References:

Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica. (2012, January 18). Turrialba Volcano (Costa Rica): Opening of a new fumarolic vent on the southeast flank of the West Crater on January 12th, 2012. Accessed January 25, 2012.
NASA Earth Observatory Image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using data from the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Erik Klemetti (Denison University & the Eruptions blog) and Robert Simmon.

http://sawdis1.blogspot.com/2012/01/unrest-at-turrialba-volcano-cos...

JAN 26 - HAWAII, KILAUEA VOLCANO

LAVA ACTIVITY ELEVATED AT KILAUEA

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has released video showing lava splattering in Halemaumau Crater.

Scientists say the video shows, "vigorous spattering along the south margin of the Halemaumau lava lake." The lava level is estimated to be around 260 feet below the floor of Halemaumau Crater.

The overall activity at Kilauea was slightly elevated and inflation and the summit lava lake rise continued.

Overall seismic tremor levels were low and gas emissions were elevated...

Source & VIDEO

Popocatépetl Volcano (Mexico): Increasing Activity and Ash Eruptions

Saturday Jan 28, 2012

Popocatépetl volcano's activity is increasing. On 25 Jan at 10:10 local time, an ash explosion produced a plume of 3 km height drifting NE. During the past days, strong degassing and steaming has been observed as well as periods of low-frequency tremor. At night (see webcam image), a constant glow can be seen from the summit crater, suggesting that the lava dome might have started a new phase of growth.
Authorities recommend a safety distance from the volcano of 12 km radius, and the alert level remains at "yellow".

STORY HERE

New Strombolian Activity at Etna's New SE Crater

Saturday Jan 28, 2012

Sporadic strombolian eruptions have started at the New SE crater on 27 Jan, following ash emissions observed the previous day.
Explosions were observed at 19:54, 20:05, 20:54, 21:11 and 22:40 local time according to Etna Walk who monitor the webcam of INGV. The explosions ejected bombs up to a few tens of meters above the crater rim and mostly fell back inside.

At the time of writing, no changes in harmonic tremor are visible, and it is still unclear whether the start of strombolian activity heralds a new paroxysm - as it has done so 19 times before in the past 12 months - or not. The next hours and perhaps days will give an answer to it.

STORY HERE

Nyamuragira Volcano (DR Congo)

UPDATE: Eruption Continues with Active Lava Lake and Lava Flow From New NE Vent

Friday Jan 27, 2012

During our recent expedition, we visited Nyamuragira's ongoing eruption during 22-25 January, and found that the eruption is still going on strongly, but somewhat less intense than during the first 1-2 weeks in January.
The second vent complex, which had started to form at the NE end of the eruptive fissure in late Dec or early Jan with about one week of constant fountaining, consists of probably 3 coalescent cones.
The middle and largest of them contained a crater filled with boiling lava, i.e. a small lava lake, which was strongly spattering every few seconds. The lava lake itself was not visible, but could be inferred from the strong glow and the hissing degassing noise of exploding gas bubbles that ejected liquid spatter bombs in all directions.
Some of the ejections reached up to about 200 m height and individual bombs reached the base of the cone....

READ MORE

Here's a couple updates from last week...

Fuego Volcano (Guatemala)

Activity Update: Continuing Moderate Ash Explosions

Thursday Jan 19, 2012

Fuego volcano produced explosions observed on 11-13 and on 16 January, which produced ash plumes rising 400-1000 m above the crater. Shock waves and rumbling sounds accompanied the explosions and rattled windows and roofs in nearby villages.
Rock avalanches traveled SW into the Ceniza drainage and on the W, S, and SW flanks. At night on 13 and 16 January incandescence was visible from the crater.

STORY HERE

Santiaguito Volcano (Guatemala)

Activity Update: Sporadic Explosions, Continuing Lava Dome Growth, Small Lava Flow on SE Flank

Thursday Jan 19, 2012

The lava dome growth of Santiaguito continues at moderate levels. Sporadic explosions produce ash clouds that rise up to 600-800 m above the lava dome and mostly drift SW. A viscous lava flow is active on the SE flank. Block avalanches are generated from the front of the lava flow and on the SW flank, accompanied by rumbling noises.

STORY HERE

Lava Dome Forms on Mt. Cleveland, Alert Raised 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The warning level for a remote Alaska volcano has been raised after a new lava dome began forming, indicating the mountain could explode and send up an ash cloud that could threaten aircraft.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory on Tuesday elevated the alert status for Cleveland Volcano.

Officials say the new lava dome was spotted in the summit crater. The observatory says as of Monday, the dome was about 130 feet in diameter.

There have been no eruptions since Dec. 25 and Dec. 29, which destroyed the earlier lava dome built up over the fall.

Cleveland is a 5,675-foot peak on an uninhabited island 940 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Authorities say sudden eruptions could occur at any time, and ash clouds 20,000 feet above sea level are possible.

FEB 2

MEXICO, POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO

Mexico volcano spews gas into skies near capital

Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano has been spewing gas, water vapor and incandescent materials into the skies near the country's capital for days, registering at least 14 "exhalations" late on Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday, according to local media. The most significant emissions came on Tuesday afternoon and were accompanied by a small quantity of ash, scientists said, according to Excelsior newspaper reported . Local civil protection officials have been giving evacuation training in communities near Popocatepetl ahead of a possible eruption.