As of January 23rd, 2022, there are 47 volcanoes which are actively erupting.
These include volcanoes such as Krakatoa in Indonesia, which is famous for its two large
caldera forming eruptions and tsunamis which occurred in 540 and then again in 1883.
It also includes the Tofua volcano in Tonga, which is a ring shaped island with a massive
caldera in its center.
The heat from its ongoing minor lava flows are faint but still detectable from satellite.
With this being said, here are a few of this week's major volcano related news stories.
In Peru, the local geological service issued a warning regarding the possibility that part
of the large Ubinas volcano could soon collapse.
In the Galapagos islands, the eruption of Volcan Wolf is continuing, but another two
volcanoes are also showing signs of unrest.
And, in Costa Rica, the Turrialba volcano produced a new explosive eruption.
The Turrialba volcano is located in the central part of the country where it is 15 kilometers
northwest of the city which goes by the same name.
This volcano contains three large explosion craters, which have been the site of numerous
recent phreatic eruptions.
These phreatic eruptions involve the heating of groundwater to steam by magma, with then
generates an explosion alongside pyroclastic flows.
The area frequently inundated by these pyroclastic flows is quite prominent from satellite due
to the ash it deposited on the volcano's western flank.
After not erupting since 1866, Turrialba began producing near constant small volume phreatic
eruptions ever since 2010.
One such phreatic eruption occurred on January 17th, ejecting a plume of ash to a height
of 500 to 1000 meters above its crater.
This eruption also produced pyroclastic flows, as shown by this image.
While eruptive activity has since decreased, it is not safe to approach the volcano at
this time.
This week's top story relates to a highly active volcano in southeastern Peru, Ubinas.
Although this tall stratovolcano is not showing any signs of a volcanic eruption, there is
concern regarding the stability of one of its slopes.
In recent days, large cracks and hydrothermal alteration have been observed on the southeastern
flank of this volcano.
These have continued to widen, suggesting that with very little warning, the entire
southeast of the volcano could collapse, producing a devastating landslide.
Such a landslide could easily reach areas up to 20 kilometers distant, and would be
funneled into a valley where thousands of people live.
If a landslide were to occur, it could release a sufficient volume of pressure that it triggers
an eruption, generating a long distance pyroclastic flow.
Although the data is still preliminary, it seems like a collapse will occur at some point
during the next decade.
It could be triggered by another volcanic eruption, or even something as simple as heavy
rainfall or snowfall.
Regardless, the volcano now poses an enormous risk to nearby residents, who would be unable
to escape when this collapse occurs, as it would move at several hundred kilometers per
hour.
Although Ubinas has not erupted since 2019, there is another reason to suspect that it
will erupt rather soon.
Ever since thorough record keeping of this volcano's eruptions began, it has produced
a decade of explosive eruptions followed by 30 to 50 years of no activity.
We are currently at the latter end of one such eruptive phase, which began in 2006.
Thus, unless more information is provided with suggests otherwise, I would recommend
an evacuation of settlements located in the valley labeled on screen.
In the Galapagos islands, the eruption of Volcan Wolf has just entered its 16th day.
Before its initial eruption, I noted warning signs of imminent activity via significant
ground deformation in its caldera which was caused by the uplift of ground caused by the
intrusion of magma.
This process occurred in a manner similar to a mole pushing up the ground in a grass
yard.
Well, another satellite pass of the volcano was just made, and it shows that two other
volcanoes are primed for an eruption.
The Fernandina volcano has a long and thin dike intrusion of magma ongoing underneath
its edifice, which is trending in a north-northwest orientation.
This has caused increase fumarole activity, meaning that it will likely erupt rather soon.
Comparatively, a much larger intrusion of magma over a broad area is occurring in the
center of the Sierra Negra volcano.
This has caused a dome shaped area to be significantly uplifted, due to the inferred movement of
magma at a depth of 3 kilometers.
While this volcano is not showing any imminent signs of activity, it should be placed on
a yellow alert level.
Here is a quick list of every volcano which is currently erupting.
Also, here are some volcanoes showing signs of unrest which could erupt in the near future.
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