Moderate emission of steam and volcanic gas, with minor ash at Whakaari/White Island. Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2 and Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow.
Due to good weather for observations since Wednesday 10th July we have observed a continuous moderate gas and steam plume rising from Whakaari/White Island. The plume is being emitted from an enlarged vent on the crater floor. Minor amounts of ash were observed intermittently in the vent during a gas flight, but this is not considered to constitute new eruptive activity. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2 (moderate to heightened unrest) and the Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow.
Analysis of data collected during a gas flight on Friday (July 12th) indicated decreased levels of magmatic gas compared to our previous observations on June 10th. Although gas emission is lower it remains at moderate levels compared to what was observed before May. The crater lake has almost disappeared with only a few small puddles remaining. Gas and steam is now exiting from an enlarged vent on the crater floor. We did not observe any eruptions, but a minor amount of ash was intermittently seen in the vent. This is likely caused by some erosion inside the vent due to the vigorous degassing. These kinds of changes in the vent area and the plume have been seen many times in the past and represent normal processes at the volcano. No ash was observed in the plume outside of the crater.
Figure 1. This image captured on Friday (July 12th) shows a plume of gas and steam emitting from a vent. Minor amounts of brown non-eruptive ash can also be seen near the vent at the base of the plume.
Although the Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2, eruptions can still occur with little or no warning. The Volcanic Alert Level reflects the current level of volcanic unrest or activity and is not a forecast of future activity. While Volcanic Alert Level 2 is mostly associated with volcanic unrest hazards (including discharge of steam and hot volcanic gases, earthquakes, landslides, and hydrothermal activity), the potential for eruption hazards remains.
As we have no sensors on the island, we continue to rely on remote cameras and satellite imagery, complemented with gas and observation flights to assess the volcanic activity. Further gas and observation flights will be conducted by GNS Science volcanologists to maintain a close eye on activity levels.
GNS Science’s National Geohazards Monitoring Centre and Volcano Monitoring Group, through the GeoNet programme, will continue to closely monitor Whakaari/White Island for further changes in unrest.
Further information about the Volcanic Alert Levels and what they mean can be found here.
More information on the recent minor eruptions can be found here.
Oliver Lamb
Duty Volcanologist
Media contact: 021 574541 or media@gns.cri.nz