The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that eruptive activity at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 7-14 October. Crater incandescence was observed nightly in webcam images. Eruptive events at 0221 and 0750 on 7 October produced ash-and-gas plumes that rose 1.1-1.5 km above the crater rim; the plume from the second event drifted E. Ash-and-gas plumes were continuously emitted during 0943-1310, rose as high as 1.6 km above the crater rim, and drifted E. Ash-and-gas plumes from eruptive events at 0333 and 1540 on 10 October rose 1.3 km above the crater rim and drifted S and SE, respectively. Three eruptive events on 11 October, at 0403, 0737, and 1130, produced ash-and-gas plumes that rose 1-1.3 km straight up above the crater rim or drifted SE. An ash-and-gas plume from an eruptive event at 1352 on 13 October rose 1 km above the crater rim and drifted W. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale) and the public was warned to stay at least 1.5 km away from the crater.

Geological Summary. The 8-km-long island of Suwanosejima in the northern Ryukyu Islands consists of an andesitic stratovolcano with two active summit craters. The summit is truncated by a large breached crater extending to the sea on the E flank that was formed by edifice collapse. One of Japan's most frequently active volcanoes, it was in a state of intermittent Strombolian activity from Otake, the NE summit crater, between 1949 and 1996, after which periods of inactivity lengthened. The largest recorded eruption took place in 1813-14, when thick scoria deposits covered residential areas, and the SW crater produced two lava flows that reached the western coast. At the end of the eruption the summit of Otake collapsed, forming a large debris avalanche and creating an open collapse scarp extending to the eastern coast. The island remained uninhabited for about 70 years after the 1813-1814 eruption. Lava flows reached the eastern coast of the island in 1884. Only about 50 people live on the island.

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)