Since the activity reported from June through mid-October 2000 (BGVN 25:09), the Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported that seismic activity at Karymsky remained mostly at background levels, with a few episodes of increased seismicity.

On 20 December 2000 around 0915 shallow earthquakes under the volcano were accompanied by short-lived explosions. At 2150 the same day a pilot confirmed the presence of ash at the summit of the volcano and mud traces from melting snow on the edifice slopes. The Concern Color Code was increased from Green (volcano is dormant; normal seismicity and fumarolic activity) to Yellow (volcano is restless; eruption may occur) until 29 December.

On 2 and 28 February several shallow seismic events took place, including a 5-minute-long series of weak shallow earthquakes on 28 February. During March, small shallow earthquakes and one episode of weak high-frequency spasmodic tremor were registered. On 12 March a high-frequency signal lasted for 90 minutes. On 28 March, from 1205 to 1300, an intense series of earthquakes with magnitudes up to ~3 was registered. Several local low-frequency earthquakes occurred during the end of March and beginning of April. Around 20 April, more than 40 earthquakes with magnitudes up to ~2.5 occurred. Since then through at least September 2001, seismic activity at Karymsky has remained at background levels with the exception of 23 August, when 30 earthquakes were registered.

General Reference. Khrenov, A.P., and others, 1982, Eruptive activity of Karymsky Volcano over the period of 10 Years (1970-1980): Volcanology and Seismology, no. 4, p. 29-48. Tokarev, P.I., 1990, Eruptions and seismicity at Karymskii volcano in 1965-1986: Volcanology and Seismology, v. 11, p. 117-134 (in English).

Geological Summary. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts the south side of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas. Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, located immediately south. The caldera enclosing Karymsky formed about 7600-7700 radiocarbon years ago; construction of the stratovolcano began about 2000 years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater.

Information Contacts: Olga Chubarova, Kamchatka Volcanic Eruptions Response Team (KVERT), Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry, Piip Ave. 9, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683006, Russia; Tom Miller, Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of a) U.S. Geological Survey, 4200 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508-4667, USA (URL: http://www.avo.alaska.edu/), b) Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, PO Box 757320, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7320, USA, and c) Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 794 University Ave., Suite 200, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA.