Ambrym volcano in Vanuatu has erupted, and its famous red glow has returned to the night sky.
The first hints of unrest came on September 16, when the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD) issued a bulletin keeping Ambrym at Alert Level 2. Nothing unusual on the surface, but the report noted that degassing and volcanic tremor were still being recorded at significant levels.
Just a day later, on Friday September 17, villagers on the island began hearing loud rumbling and degassing sounds coming from the caldera area. By Saturday, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Wellington had issued a notice of an ash plume rising to an estimated 10,000 ft (3,000 m), or flight level 100, drifting east at around 15 knots. Photos soon emerged showing large white plumes rising from the caldera area. Then, as night fell, the glow came back. Once a common sight above the island, it lit up the sky and could be seen right across Ambrym.
VMGD later confirmed through ground observations that a volcanic cloud containing ash emerged from the Benbow crater at 11:25 AM on September 19.
The eruption is still going as of today, September 20. The volcano is pumping out extremely high levels of SO2, and satellites are picking up very high thermal anomalies. Interestingly, while VMGD confirmed the ash plume came from Benbow, those strong heat signatures are actually centred over Marum’s crater, which is backed up by Sentinel-2 infrared imagery. For now, the activity appears confined to Marum, and lava effusion remains high.
It’s worth remembering that Ambrym was home to some of the most spectacular lava lakes on Earth, sitting inside both Benbow and Marum, before they drained away during the major December 2018 eruption. So any sign of fresh lava returning to these craters is a big deal, and we;re following this one closely.
Whether the eruption keeps going is anyone’s guess. If recent eruptions at Ambrym are anything to go by, lava effusion usually stops after a few days. Time will tell.
Sources: MOUNTS Project, Mirova, Sentinel-2. Photos courtesy of John Tasso.
As always, please seek official information and updates from VMGD.