On Wednesday, July 28, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake hit the Alaskan peninsula, raising worries of imminent tsunami waves. Another possible cause of calamity is the Great Sitkin volcano, which geologists currently watch.
Since January, the volcano, located in the central Aleutian Islands in eastern Alaska, has been showing symptoms of increased activity and rising surface temperatures.
A Particularly Explosive Eruption
After an explosive eruption in late May, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) raised the warning level for Great Sitkin. The volcano ejected an ash cloud as high as 15,000 feet into the sky, according to initial accounts.
The volcano's "unrest persists," according to geologists, and Great Sitkin is being watched for another possible eruption.
Triggering Seismic Movements
According to the AVO, a significant earthquake swarm rocked the volcano late on Sunday, August 1, but seismicity has since decreased.
The volcano's light steam emissions, which stand at an elevation of roughly 5709ft, have also been seen by satellites traveling over the island.
According to the AVO, "The current phase of instability might result in further explosive activity or lava effusion. This isn't definite, and there's a chance that discontent may return to normal levels. Local seismic and infrasound sensors, satellite data, webcams, and remote infrasound and lightning networks all monitor the Great Sitkin volcano."
Related Article: USGS Raises Yellow Warning on 6 Active Volcanoes in US for 'Elevated Unrest'
Sitkin's Potential Coverage
Adak, the next city, is roughly 26 miles distant and has around 300 people. Both Adak and Great Sitkin are part of the Aleutian Islands, a 69-island archipelago on the Bering Sea-Pacific Ocean boundary.
At least 14 of these volcanic islands make up the Pacific Ring of Fire's northern border. And Great Sitkin isn't the only volcano in Alaska that's being watched for signs of trouble.
The Semisopochnoi volcano, which was rocked by a series of earthquakes over the weekend, was also placed on a volcanic watch.
Small eruptions have been occurring in the volcano's north crater, according to the AVO. Up to 10,000 feet above sea level, ash clouds have been seen.
"Small explosions may occur without notice and may go undetected by region infrasound sensors due to overcast weather circumstances," the AVO cautioned. Another cause of concern for the US state may be the Aleutian Islands.
Underwater Caldera
According to the American Geophysical Union, six of the archipelago's volcanoes may be part of a bigger, underwater caldera.
There is evidence that the Carlisle, Cleveland, Herbert, Kagamil, Tana, and Uliag volcanoes are fueled by a larger source than previously assumed.
"Everything we look at lines up with a caldera in this location," Diana Roman, a co-author of research on the possible supervolcano, stated.
Last month, scientists issued a warning about the need to keep an eye on the world's supervolcanoes for eruption signals.
According to an expert participating in the study, there are no agreed-upon signs of an oncoming super-eruption, which has to alter immediately.
"Careful monitoring of these systems is needed to better understand the processes operating at deep under the volcano," said Dr. George Cooper of Cardiff University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
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