As of May 15th, 2022, there are 51 volcanoes actively erupting on the planet.
One of these erupting volcanoes is Great Sitkin in Alaska, which has been producing a mildly
explosive eruption since May 25th of 2021.
Its ongoing eruption has constructed a large new dark gray lava dome on its summit which
is more than 1 kilometer or 3280 feet wide.
With this being said, here are this week's major volcano related news stories.
In the Chilean section of the Andes mountain range, a supervolcano which is known for producing
some of the highest levels of uplift on the planet produced 650 volcanic earthquakes in
a single day.
Also, in Australia, the nation's most active volcano produced a brand new volcanic eruption.
I of course am not referring to a volcano on the mainland but rather one of the nation's
remote island territories.
And, in Wyoming, a moderate magnitude earthquake occurred adjacent to Yellowstone National
Park, leading some to speculate that it was volcanic in origin.
This earthquake occurred on May 11th at 7:32 am local time, and was the largest single
quake to occur in the region during the last 5 years.
Registering in as a magnitude 4.2, it was felt across sections of Wyoming, Montana,
and Idaho.
Despite appearances, this quake was not volcanic in origin as its epicenter was outside the
boundary formed by Yellowstone's 3 youngest major calderas.
This quake was centered 1.7 miles south-southeast of Little Saddle Mountain and occurred at
a depth of 8 miles or 13 kilometers.
Although the region does produce earthquakes which are related to either the movement of
magma or hydrothermal fluids, this quake was instead caused by one of the area's numerous
fault lines.
In this section of the park, two ancient volcanic complexes are responsible for a cluster of
lengthy fault lines which radiate outwards from a central point.
This quake was located on a southwest trending fault line related to one of these extinct
centers known as Hurricane Mesa.
No significant damage was caused by this event, and the Yellowstone volcano remains at an
alert level of green.
In the Chilean Andes there is a highly remote volcano which few people are aware of.
Known as Laguna Del Maule, this volcanic complex could best be described as a borderline supervolcano.
This volcano in the last 2 million years has produced three massive eruptions, which resulted
in the creation of a 23 kilometer long and 17 kilometer wide caldera.
While the caldera is largely filled with a lake from which the volcano gets its name,
it is surrounded by abundant young lava flows.
In the last 25,000 years this volcano has produced 30 eruptions, 4 of which occurred
in the last 10,000 years.
Each of these eruptions were nonexplosive or moderately explosive, producing several
cubic kilometers of viscous andesite or rhyolite lava.
The last such eruption occurred in 50 BC, depositing the massive lava flow shown here.
Because of this recent eruption, we know that a large volume of rhyolite magma is present
at a depth of only 5 kilometers.
Since 2004, a large section of this magma has pushed up the overlying ground by as much
as 26 centimeters or 10 inches each year.
This uplift is centered just to the north of this lava flow where it can be inferred
that magma is shallowest in the ground.
Although the uplift has declined substantially to a maximum rate of 1.8 centimeters a month,
magma is still moving at depth.
It is due to this magma that a series of 650 volcanic earthquakes occurred on May 8th,
the largest of which was a magnitude 2.1.
Although quake activity has since declined it remains at unusually high levels.
As a result, this volcano's alert level may need to be raised to yellow if continued unrest
occurs.
An eruption is highly unlikely at this time, but if one were to occur, it would occur in
this area of the caldera and produce a relatively nonexplosive rhyolite lava dome.
The planet's newest volcanic eruption began on May 13th when a lava flow was detected
descending the slopes of Heard Island in Australia.
This towering volcano which is sometimes referred to as Big Ben is the nation's most active
volcano, having last erupted from 2012 to 2021.
Its latest eruption once again originated from its summit crater resulting in a dark
black lava flow which travelled 2.5 kilometers.
This occurred after more than a month of elevated temperature readings originating from its
summit.
Here is a quick list of every volcano which is currently erupting.
Also, here are some volcanoes showing signs of unrest which are not erupting but could
erupt in the near future.
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