While what you are looking as might initially look like a mining explosion, it is instead
a volcanic eruption from Indonesia's Ibu volcano.
Located on the island of Halmahera, Ibu frequently produces these types of explosions which are
known as vulcanian eruptions.
These often generate pyroclastic flows and sometimes occur alongside the ejection of
bombs of lava.
Ibu is one of Earth's 49 volcanoes which are actively erupting as of the week of January
7th, 2024.
And now, here are this week's top volcano related news stories.
In the same week which an Alaskan volcano's eruption was declared as over, a new volcanic
eruption may have occurred elsewhere in the United States at a submarine volcano.
Elsewhere, in the Philippines, ground deformation was detected on the northern section of the
Taal volcano's central island along with a 1 year high in sulfur dioxide emissions.
And, in what is this week's top story, the eruption of Indonesia's Lewotobi volcano is
becoming increasingly intense and dangerous.
This eruption which began on December 23rd of 2023 initially involved only minor ash
emissions from a 160 meter long vent just northwest of the Laki Laki cones's summit
area.
However, this fissure was insufficient to relieve all of the pressure from the body
of shallow magma, resulting in a second fissure opening on the Laki Laki cone’s southeastern
flank on December 31st.
This fissure resulted in heavier ash emissions, causing a centimeter of ash to fall on the
village of Boru.
Yet, the eruption intensity still continued to progressively increase, and as a result
not only was the Laki Laki cone's alert level raised from yellow to orange, but its exclusion
zone was expanded.
Additionally, some people at distances as much as 8 kilometers away evacuated, totalling
approximately 2,500 people.
This increasing eruption intensity still did not appear to release all of the pressure
building at the volcano, creating the potential for three scenarios to play out.
It appears that scenario two has so far occurred, as the 160 meter long fissure expanded by
another 100 meters on January 5th.
On the same day, an orange glow began emanating from the cone's summit, as fragments of shallow
magma were ejected beyond the crater walls.
It now appears to be a matter of time before a true lava flow begins.
In addition to the threat of lava flows, pyroclastic flows, and ash, I am quite concerned by the
truly heavy levels of volcanic gas this eruption is emitting.
As, on January 5th locals who were 7 kilometers northwest of the eruption began complaining
about a nasty sulfur smell and feeling very nauseous.
While nausea is a potential symptom of overexposure to each of three deadly volcanic gasses, I
suspect that hydrogen sulfide is the culprit here.
If you are feeling nauseous due to volcanic gasses, evacuate immediately as you are encountering
a dangerous level of this gas.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, sulfur dioxide emissions have increased to unusually high
levels at the Taal volcano, where since December 21st they have nearly doubled.
On January 4th, 12,685 tons of sulfur dioxide gas was released, and this is actually higher
than the erupting Lewotobi volcano in Indonesia is releasing.
The presence of sulfur dioxide gas indicates that magma is at fairly shallow depths, which
in this case either is increasing in volume, getting shallower, or a combination of both.
Almost all of Taal's phreatomagmatic explosions from its central crater lake since February
of 2020 have occurred on days when more than 10,000 tons of this magmatic gas have been
released.
Thus, an eruption, potentially of small to medium size is becoming increasingly likely
at Taal.
However, there is also a possibility that such a new eruption could originate on the
northern section of Taal island as uplift has been centered and ongoing there since
July 12th of 2023.
And, in the depths of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Ahyi Seamount volcano appears
to have erupted again either on December 31st or January 1st.
Although the eruption was not directly witnessed, satellite imagery showed a discolored patch
of water which had drifted a few miles west of the volcano.
While this was likely generated by an eruption, it is also possible that a short burst of
fumarolic gasses created this light blue patch of water instead of an eruption.
Here is a quick list of all of the world's volcanoes which are currently erupting.
Additionally, here are some volcanoes showing varying degrees of unrest which are not currently
erupting as of January 6th of 2024.
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