Seismic activity

Earthquakes recorded below Tongariro

Mt Tongariro is under a watching brief after a series of small earthquakes was detected under the volcano over the past two weeks.

Stuff,

6 August, 2013

GNS Science duty volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said the quakes were not connected to the ongoing flurry of seismic activity centred in the Cook Strait and the tremors were no cause for ''undue alarm.''

Fewer than 10 quakes, all under magnitude 1.5, have been recorded on a handful of seismic monitors and are too small to be pinpointed.

''The reason we're paying attention is because of their location and we don't see quakes there very often,'' Rosenberg said.

The volcano erupted for the first time in a century at the Te Maari craters in August last year, followed by another eruption in November and scientists warn the craters could still erupt with little or no warning.

The earthquakes could just be normal volcanic background unrest but the earthquakes had piqued interest because there have been so few since 2012 and could signal changes occurring inside the volcano.

The seismic activity was not seen as a precursor to another eruption because carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide gas emissions had been at low levels since the start of the year.

''If we saw these gases increase and saw more and larger earthquakes then we would think of this very likely as magma moving through Tongariro,'' Rosenberg said.

The area around the Te Maari craters is off-limits so scientists are waiting for the right prevailing winds to collect gas samples by driving or flying under volcanic plumes.

''At this stage we don't know what the activity is. There's obviously something disturbing the insides of the volcano - maybe it's just changes in the stress on the faultline.''

GNS has not changed its 0 to 5-scale Volcanic Alert Level from 1, which shows volcanic unrest or its Aviation Colour Code from green, which indicates no eruptive activity.

NZ volcano erupts

More eruptions to come for Tongariro, Ruapehu

Scientist are warning of more eruptions to come following yesterday's blast from Mt Tongariro - and they could even come from Mt Ruapehu.

Photo from previous eruption of Tongariro

Stuff,

22 November, 2012

An eruption at Te Maari crater about 1.30pm yesterday sent a 2-kilometre-high ash plume shooting into the sky. And though the mountain subsided later in the day.

It remained quiet overnight.

Among the estimated 400 people walking the Tongariro Crossing was a party of 100 children, teachers and parents from Tamatea Intermediate, in Napier, who were near Ketetahi hot springs when the crater erupted.

"We were right up there next to it," teacher Lomi Schaumkel said. "It was just amazing.

"It was pretty scary from where we were and it looked absolutely spectacular, the ash that came out. It really did look like one of those atom bomb explosions, and it made a rumbling sound. Some panicked, some didn't. Everyone came down safely."

English tourists Peter and Angie Glanvill reckoned they were only about 200 metres from the eruption.

"We were coming down the track and turned the bend to see it erupting," Mr Glanvill said. "It was so incredibly slow-moving, like everything was in slow motion. We stood there for a moment and watched it, with a lot of others on the track."

His wife said: "It was the icing on the cake for us, we've never been close to anything like this."

A Kiwi film crew were in the middle of interviewing a geologist and a vulcanologist on the mountain when the crater erupted behind them.

The three crew from web-video production company 90 Seconds TV were making a film to encourage Australians to travel to the Taupo area when "she blew her top", chief executive Tim Norton said.

"There was a big boom, which lasted quite a while. There was quite a lot of euphoria, lots of screaming and yelling. There wasn't a lot of fear."

The fear came later, when the smoke and ash began to pour into the sky.

"When that happened, when they felt the rumble deep in the ground, that was a little bit frightening."

More eruptions are predicted over the coming week, and not just at Tongariro. GNS Science last week warned of a possible eruption at Mt Ruapehu after pressure began building up under the Crater Lake.

And scientists say yesterday's eruption has not lessened the chance of that.

The warning has put organisers of the Round Taupo Challenge cycle race on tenterhooks, but at this stage Saturday's event is still going ahead.

Director Kay Brake said organisers were monitoring incoming information and had several contingency measures in place should there be further eruptions.

Businesses such as Adventure HQ in National Park are likely to be closed until further notice. Manager Paul Ratlidge said his was one of 26 firms that provided shuttle transport to walkers on the crossing.

"We basically haven't got a business now. We've just got to suck it up. It's the nature of the business here, like bad weather - we can't operate."

At the same time, it was an exciting time to be involved. "It's a humbling experience. It's nowhere as big as the Ruapehu eruptions, but it brings home what it is to be close to an active volcano."

GNS vulcanologist Tony Hurst said all eyes had been on Ruapehu and yesterday's eruption took them by surprise, despite a larger eruption at Te Maari crater in August.

There were no earthquakes of note in the leadup to the eruption, which would have given scientists a clue. "It was unexpected," Mr Hurst said. "[But] there's no reason to think this is all we're going to get. There's a significant risk that there'll be more like this.

"There's a history on Tongariro of having months or longer of eruptions but none of it large."

Taupo District Council emergency manager Phil Parker said it was unusual to have to monitor two mountains at a time. It was now simply a waiting game to see how and when Mt Ruapehu erupted.

Larger volcanic eruption immanent?

-->

NZ: Larger Tongariro eruption 'may be imminent'

Tests have revealed that magma is bubbling high inside Mount Tongariro, which could suggest a larger eruption is imminent.

Stuff,

10 August, 2012

A series of samples have been tested since the volcano's Te Mari crater erupted on Monday night, but the latest results give the greatest insight.

The results detected sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide in the steam plume, which indicated that magma was near the surface of the crater, GNS Science head of volcanology Gill Jolly told Radio New Zealand.

This could lead to a magmatic eruption, but it's also likely that a series of steam eruptions could follow, Jolly said. Or perhaps, nothing at all.

The volcano was still ejecting steam and gas this morning, GNS vulcanologist Michael Rosenberg said.

Tremors continue to shake the earth below it, he said.

Meanwhile, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake in the Bay of Plenty this morning has had no impact on White Island, which erupted on Tuesday night.

It was the first eruption in 12 years for the country's most active and largest cone.

White Island tended to have volcanic episodes which lasted a few months to a few years, so this could just be the start of more to come, Rosenberg said.

The Te Mari crater last erupted in 1897.

This is not too far off White Island where the other volcanic activity has been.

Quake strikes Bay of Plenty

A magnitude 4.7 quake has struck the Bay of Plenty this morning.

Stuff,

10 August, 2012

The quake occurred at 7.31am and was centred 40km north-east of Opotiki, and 10km west of Te Kaha, GeoNet reported.

It was 40 kilometres deep.

People have reported feeling the quake in Opotiki and Whakatane.

New Zealand volcanic activity

-->

White Island eruption

The first eruption of Mount Tongariro in a century was preceded by a lift in the alert level yesterday of New Zealand’s largest volcano - White Island in the Bay of Plenty

Sun Live,

7 August, 2012

The first eruption of Mount Tongariro in a century was preceded by a lift in the alert level yesterday of New Zealand’s largest volcano - White Island in the Bay of Plenty.

White Island’s alert level was raised to Level 2 at 6.30pm last night – about six hours before the eruption on Mt Tongariro’s Te Mari crater.

A smoking White Island from Looking Glass Gardens in Te Puke. Photo: Jessica Brockett.

GNS Science raised the alert level after the White Island web camera captured a small eruption at about 4.55am on Sunday from the Crater Lake. During the past week there has been an increase in volcanic tremors and volcanic gas levels.

The Volcanic Alert Level is now raised to Level 2 – meaning the onset of eruptive activity, accompanied by changes to monitored indicators and minor eruptive activity.

The Aviation Colour Code is changed to Orange.

This is confirmation that small scale eruptions are now occurring on the island and GNS confirms the risk to visitors has increased.

White Island, about 48km off the Bay of Plenty coast, is an active volcano and there is always risk when visiting the island and vessels travelling nearby should keep alert.

Between Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 the lake level in the Crater Lake at White Island rose by about 3m to 5m.

A volcanic earthquake was also recorded indicating an eruption may have occurred. A flow of gas and steam has been present through the lake and from vents near the lake since then.

A gas flight on August 1 recorded increases of sulphur gases in the steam and volcanic gas plume.

Activity at the island has been increasing since early July with intermittent periods of volcanic tremors, becoming more continuous since July 28. A particularly stronger episode was recorded overnight August 4-5, and ended in a volcanic earthquake at 4.54am.

Examination of the images from the Factory webcam between 4.54am and 4.57am on August 4 revealed an eruption from the Crater Lake.

Meanwhile there have been no further reports of activity from Mt Tongariro which erupted at 11.50pm last night.

The eruption was at the Te Mari crater on the volcano’s north western flank. The crate is the site of the last eruptions in 1869, 1892, 1896 and 1897.

The upper Te Mari Crater was formed during an explosive eruption in 1869. Māori descriptions talk of "bright red flame through the smoke that would burst and fall like snow".

In November 1892 Te Māri again belched forth an immense quantity of steam, mud and boulders; the ejected material rose 2000 - 3000 feet (600- 900 m) before rushing down the mountain side. The last eruption began in November 1896 and activity lasted until October 1897.

There is a media briefing on the Tongariro activity at Taupo at 10am.

The volcanic threat level activity scale:

0 Typical background surface activity; seismicity, deformation and heat flow at low levels. Usual dormant or quiescent state.

1 Departure from typical background surface activity. Signs of volcano unrest.

2 Onset of eruptive activity, accompanied by changes to monitored indicators. Minor eruptive activity.

3 Increased vigour of ongoing activity and monitored indicators. Significant effects on volcano, possible effects beyond. Significant local eruption in progress.

4 Significant change to ongoing activity and monitored indicators. Effects beyond volcano. Hazardous local eruption in progress.

5 Hazardous large volcanic eruption in progress. Large hazardous eruption in progress.

Sulphur smell from Mt Tongariro reaches Wellington

TVNZ,

8 August, 2012

The distinct smell of sulphur from the Mt Tongariro eruption is wafting towards the South Island this morning.

The volcano erupted suddenly on Monday night, spewing ash as far as Napier and Hawke's Bay and causing significant damage to a hut on the popular Tongariro Crossing walking trail.

The smell of sulphur has been reported in the capital this morning, where Wellingtonians have taken to Twitter to describe the "stinky" smell.

"You can smell the volcano outside today - even here in Island Bay, Wellington. It's a bit stinky," tweeted Jayne Fox.

The lingering smell comes as GNS scientists take to the air this morning to get a first-hand idea of how the eruption has affected the crater on Mt Tongariro.

Clear conditions have enabled scientists to fly near the crater after they were unable to see the mountain clearly yesterday because of heavy cloud.

Vulcanologist Brad Scott said better weather today means they can get a clearer picture, but they would be keeping a safe distance from the crater.

They are hoping to take further samples from near the crater to determine if Monday night's eruption was steam or magma driven and the likelihood of a further eruption.

Scientists are monitoring the active volcano around-the-clock as they fear another violent explosion could strike at any time following Monday night's eruption that spewed rocks a kilometre into the air.

They warn the volcanic activity could last for days or weeks, causing concern for residents who have been warned they will be in the firing line if a magma eruption occurs.

However, no further volcanic activity was reported overnight.

Department of Conservation is also hoping to survey the extensive damage the eruption has caused to a hut on the popular Tongariro Crossing walking trail.

Boulders are also believed to have caused significant damage to the walking track.

Last night's wet weather condition are likely to assist with today's clean-up efforts as residents look to clear the thick layer of ash settled around the base of the mountain and in nearby Ohakune.

The dampened ash is easier to clean-up, compared with dry, dust-like ash.

Tongariro 'quiet' before explosion

Auckland University Associate Professor of Geology Dr Phil Shane said GNS scientists saw an increase in seismic activity at Mt Tongariro recently but the volcano was quiet just before the explosion.

"It shows that there isn't always often a fool-proof way of predicting these things," said Shane.

"What we would say is we are in a zone of heightened activity, not to say it will erupt immediately, but we are in a time where we should keep a closer eye than normal."

Shane said it was too simplistic to say if heightened volcanic activity at White Island and Monday night's explosion at Mt Tongariro were related as volcanoes tended to behave independently.

He said Auckland's myriad of volcanoes are very unlikely to be activated by seismic activity in the Central Plateau.

-->

Mt Tongariro in NZ is not the only place in the world to see volcanic activity

Volcanic activity world-wide 7 Aug 2012: Tongariro, Etna, Stromboli, Popocatépetl, volcanoes in Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador

Volcano Discovery,

7 August, 2012

News have been dominated by Tongariro volcano's first eruption in 115 years (New Zealand). At the moment, the volcano is quiet, but eruptions could resume any time. 
Etna (Italy): Strombolian activity continues at varying levels. Following a phase of weak activity during 4-6 Aug, an increase of activity was observed at the Bocca Nuova during the night 6-7 Aug. 

 
Also in Italy, the activity at Stromboli (Eolian Islands) has been at relatively high levels over the past days. The number and size of explosions from the summit vents has increased. 
Popocatépetl in Mexico: About 1 explosion occurs per hour, and strong glow is visible at night. A relatively powerful eruption late on 6 Aug sent ash to up to 30,000 ft (10 km) altitude. 
The volcanoes in Guatemala have shown little changes in activity over the past days. 

 
Fuego volcano has intermittent weak strombolian explosions throwing lava up to 100 m above the crater, and the lava flow on the south flank is still active. 

 
Santiaguito / Santa Maria (Guatemala): Weak to moderate explosions occur regularly and produce ash plumes up to 900 meters high. Avalanches of lava blocks descend on the south flank of the dome. 

 
Lots of seismic activity is visible on the seismograms, most of it related to rockfalls. 

 
Some tremor and shallow volcanic quakes and weak degassing are the only signs of activity reported from Pacaya. 
In Colombia, there are currently 1 volcanoes on orange alert (Ruiz)(eruption warning) and 4 on yellow (unrest): 

 
Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia) shows tremor, associated with gas and minor ash emissions at low level. A shallow M1.2 earthquake occurred at 3:11 (local time) near the Arenas crater. INGEOMINAS keeps a close watch of the volcano. 

 
Compared to the previous week, the seismicity at Galeras has increased and shows events related to fluid movements within the volcano. Few weak earthquakes with magnitudes less than 1.1 related to fracturing of rock occurred at shallow depths (less than 4 km) at various locations under the volcano. 

 
Seismicity at Cerro Machin volcano remains at slightly elevated levels with some weak earthquakes SE under the lava dome at depths between 3.5 and 5 km. 

 
At Cumbal volcano, seismicity is still above background levels, but has has decreased. Signals are interpreted as fluid movements under the volcano. 

 
Nevado del Huila The volcano shows normal seismic activity and degassing at low levels with no significant changes to previous weeks. INGEOMINAS keeps the alert level at yellow. 
Ecuador: 

 
Tungurahua volcano: Activity remains generally at relatively low levels. Few small to moderate explosions (about 3-5 per day) and weak steam and ash venting continue at Tungurahua. The last reported ash cloud altitude was at 18,000 ft (4.5 km) from an explosion on 6 Aug.

 
This morning, a more intense phase with volcanic tremor is visible on the seismograms. 

 
Reventador volcano: IG reports a strong steam plume rising 1500 m above the summit, but does no more mention any active lava flow. 

 
Sangay volcano: No recent reports of eruptions from remote Sangay are available, but this might simply incidate that its typical strombolian eruptions are too small.

New Zealand volcanic eruption

NZ: Mt Tongariro erupts, warning for central NI

Mt Tongariro has erupted, with ash fall closing roads and prompting a potential threat warning for central North Island regions.

Stuff,

7 August, 2012

The eruption at 11.50pm last night threw rocks and spewed ash from the Te Mari craters, near Ketetahi hot springs, on the northern side of the mountain, GNS Science said.

A trucker, Bryn Rodda, said he saw part of the eruption.

"I could see this big cloud, it looked like a fist basically, at an angle across the sky...and at about the wrist section of the fist there was an orange ball of flash that I saw, that was all I could see," he told Radio New Zealand.

This morning an ash plume could be seen amongst the cloud that was covering the mountain.

Civil Defence said volcanic activity could pose a threat to Waikato, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Manawatu-Whanganui, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki.

People living in those areas were advised to stay indoors with all the windows and doors closed and listen to the radio for updated emergency information and instructions.

The Desert Road section of State Highway 1, northeast of the mountain, and State Highway 46, to the north, had been closed due to the ash.

Motorists were being advised to avoid travel in the area. The road closures would be reassessed at daylight.

Light ash had been reported as falling on SH1 and SH46 and as far as SH5, near Te Haroto and onto Napier city.

An incident management centre had been set up at Whakapapa DOC visitor centre, and local council, police and Department of Conservation were meeting in Taupo this morning.

There had been no further volcanic activity reported since last night.

Civil Defence has not activated the National Crises Management Centre.

Inspector Ian Harris, of police central communications, said search and rescue teams would be sent up the mountain at dawn to check that no one had been stranded in huts.

There had been no reports of injuries or damage because of the eruption and no evacuation notices had been issued, he said.

However, GNS Science duty volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said some people in the Lake Rotoaira area had self-evacuated following the eruption.

There had been reports of "red hot rocks being thrown out of the crater", several loud explosions and lightning when the eruption occurred and ash had fallen 5cm deep on SH46, he said.

The eruption had been "really unexpected".

"You can measure and monitor but sometimes mother nature will do her own thing."

GNS Science planned to send observers to the mountain later this morning, Rosenberg said.

A service station attendant at the Caltex Service Station in Raetihi, beneath the southern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, said the highway between National Park and Raetihi was still open.

She said no ash had fallen on Raetihi overnight.

A worker at the BP Service Station in Turangi, John MacRae, said while no ash had fallen in Turangi this morning, there was "a sulphur smell round the place".

FLIGHTS AFFECTED

Civil aviation director of meteorology Peter Lechner said the eruption would affect regional flights.

"The ash cloud is obviously stretching from the moutain out towards the east, so by about 9 o'clock this morning we expect that plume to cover probably Gisborne south through Hawke's Bay, perhaps into the northern Wairarapa.

"So air travel into those areas, namely Gisborne, Hawke's Bay aerodrome, and of course Taupo aerodrome will probably be affected by the ash," he told Radio New Zealand.

Airlines would need to decide whether they would continue flying in and out of that area, Lechner said.

"It's up to them to stay clear of the ash. If they can find a clear way through that's fine."

Flights overhead, such as from Auckland to Wellington, would not be affected. Those flights were usually at about 30,000 to 35,000 feet while the ash plume was about 20,000 feet, Lechner said.

If the weather patterns continue, the ash could be pushed out to sea by about 6pm tonight, Lechner said.

"As long as there are no further eruptions, that's a good thing."

There were five reported eruptions from the Te Mari craters between 1855 and 1897 but they had been dormant until now, the GeoNet website said.

Seismic swarm at Tongariro

-->

Tongariro volcano (New Zealand): seismic swarm, a possible precursor to new activity

Volcano Discovery,

23 July, 2012

Tongariro volcano is showing signs of a possible awakening. On 13 July 2012, an increase in small (<M2.5) earthquakes was detected. The quakes were clustered at depths of 2-7 km under the area between Emerald crater and Te Mari crater. More than 20 earthquakes were recorded until 20 July, when the seismic activity peaked and prompted GeoNet to raise the alert level from 0 to 1. Compared to a background average of 2 quakes per year, the swarm is significant and could indicate magma movements. Seismic activity dropped on 21 July with only 1 quake since then, but preliminary measurements show an increase in volcanic gas emission. NZ Scientist started to increase their monitoring at the volcano.

• All news about: Tongariro volcano
• Information about: Tongariro volcano

-->
-->

-->

Dust storms + drought = Dust

Bowl 2.0

 

Extinction Protocol,

24 July, 2012

July 24, 2012 – PHOENIX — A dust storm, or haboob, enveloped the greater Phoenix area in a cloud of yellow-gray blowing dust on Saturday night. The dust storms are becoming more frequent. For the second time since Saturday, a dust storm muscled its way into the Valley, just in time for the afternoon commute. National Weather Service meteorologist Charlotte Dewey said the storm was moving northwest and was first spotted between Eloy and Tucson. The dust storm covered cities in the metropolitan Phoenix area such as Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Apache Junction, Santan Valley, Chandler, Casa Grande and downtown Phoenix. There were no official estimates of its size, but Dewey says spotters estimated it was around 2,000 feet tall. She says there were also reports of 35 mph wind gusts in the area, and a report of a 50 mph gust at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Above are photos of the event from The Associated Press and our iWitness Weather contributors. –KPHO

 

-->

Torrential rains hammer central Nigeria, killing 35

Extinction Protocol,

24 July, 2012

July 24, 2012 –  NIGERIA - Authorities in central Nigeria say a flood triggered by heavy rains killed at least 35 people. Plateau state Red Cross Chief Mnasseh Pampe said Monday several other Jos residents remain missing and rescue forces expect the death toll to rise further. He says the flood waters washed away many homes in the area — often built with mud — leaving some 200 residents displaced. Nigeria is currently experiencing its annual rainy season, which comes with torrential rains that challenge the country’s infrastructure, often leading buildings to collapse and people to drown as many build houses in flood plains. 

 

–ABC News 

Heavy rains pound New Zealand’s North Island

 Extinction Protocol,

24 July, 2012

Heavy rains have eased but roads remain closed around the Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty due to slips and flooding. The MetService has lifted a heavy weather warning for the Coromandel, however a warning remains in place for the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. In the 21 hours up until 6pm tonight, 90-130mm is expected in the Gisborne region, with the heaviest falls north of Tokomaru Bay, and inland and south of Gisborne city. The MetService advised people in these areas to watch out for surface flooding, slips and rapidly rising streams and rivers. Roads around the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty remain closed following heavy rain. 

 

– NZ Herald