Central Kurile Islands

The Kurile Islands
Northern Kuriles | Central Kuriles | Southern Kuriles

 

The Central Kurile Islands consists of Simushir, Ketoi, Ushishir, Rasshua, Matua, Raikoke, and Lovushky islands. The volcanoes of the Central Kurile Islands are: 17A. Milne 19.1 Urataman 22. Rasshua 17B. Goriaschaia Sopka 20. Ketoi 23. Unnamed 18. Zavaritzki Caldera 21. Ushishur 24. Sarychev Peak 19. Prevo Peak 21.1 Srednii 25. Raikoke

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Simushir Island

 

 

 

This photo looks north along the volcanoes of Simushir Island. The flooded sooma volcano of Urataman forms the north end of the island. Prevo Peak is just south of the center of the island. Zavaritzki Caldera is cloud-free and can be seen on the west (left) side of the island. Milne, partially obscured by clouds, forms part of the south end of the island.

 

Milne

Location: 46.8N, 151.8E
Elevation: 5051 feet (1540 m)

Milne is a somma volcano of Holocene age. No historic eruptions have been recorded.

 

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Goriaschaia Sopka

Location: 46.8N, 151.8E
Elevation: 2922 feet (891 m)

Goriaschaia Sopka is an active stratovolcano. There have been five explosive eruptions between 1842 and 1914. The 1842 eruption had a VEI estimated at about 3. The volcano may have erupted in 1944.

The central and northern parts of the island of Simushir are shown in this photograph from the Space Shuttle. The snow-covered cone of Urataman, a somma volcano, forms the north end of the island. Prevo Peak is south of Urataman (near the center of the photo, just above the cloud bands). The area near Zavaritzki Caldera can be seen through a gap in the clouds. Both Prevo Peak and Zavaritzki Caldera have erupted in historic time.

 

 

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Zavaritzki Caldera

Location: 46.9N, 151.9E
Elevation: 2046 feet (624 m)

Two historic eruptions of Zavaritzki occurred in 1923 and 1957, both at the north end of the crater lake. The 1957 eruption (VEI=3) was explosive and was accompanied by lava flows and the growth of a dome.

 

 

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Prevo Peak

Location: 47.0N, 152.1E
Elevation: 4460 feet (1360 m)

Prevo Peak, a stratovolcano, erupted in 1765 and 1825. The 1765 eruption was explosive (VEI>3), producing pyroclastic flows that caused damage.

 

 

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Urataman

Location: 47.1N, 152.2E
Elevation: 2223 feet (678 m)

Urataman is a Holocene somma volcano with no known historic eruptions.

 

 

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Ketoi

Location: 47.4N, 152.5E
Elevation: 3844 feet (1172 m)

Ketoi, a stratovolcano, erupted from the Pallas Peak vent in 1843, 1924, and 1960. All eruptions were explosive and moderate (VEI=2) in size.

 

 

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Ushishur

Location: 47.5N, 152.8E
Elevation: 1315 feet (401 m)

Ushishur is a caldera with historic eruptions in 1710, 1769, and 1884. The 1769 eruption was submarine and from a vent near the center of the caldera bay. This eruption also formed a lava dome. An eruption in 7450 BC. Was associated with caldera collapse.

 

 

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Srednii

Location: 47.6N, 152.9E
Elevation: 108 feet (36 m)

Srednii is a submarine volcano northwest of Ushishur. It has a suspected but unconfirmed eruption in 1880.

 

 

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Rasshua

Location: 47.7N, 153.0E
Elevation: 3135 feet (956 m)

Rasshua is a stratovolcano which erupted in 1846 and 1957. The 1846 eruption was moderate to large (VEI=3) in size.

 

 

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Unnamed

Location: 48.1N, 153.3E
Elevation: -500 feet (-150 m)

This unnamed submarine volcano is east of Matua Island. It erupted near Toporkovyi islet in 1924.

 

 

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Sarychev Peak

Location: 48.1N, 153.2E
Elevation: 4906 feet (1496 m)

Sarychev Peak, a stratovolcano, is the most active volcanoes in the Kurile Islands. Sarychev Peak erupted at least 14 times between 1765 and 1989. The largest eruption (VEI=4) was in 1924. Most eruptions are moderate to moderate-large (VEI=2-3) and explosive. An eruption in 1960, the last major eruption, produced a 3 mile (5 km) high ash cloud. An eruption in 1964 lasted only 6 minutes.

 

 

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Raikoke

Location: 48.3N, 153.2E
Elevation: 1807 feet (551 m)

Raikoke is a stratovolcano with eruptions in 1765, 1778, and 1924. The last two eruption were large with VEI of 4 or greater. The bombs from the 1778 eruption caused 15 fatalities and prompted the first volcanological study of the Kurile Islands.

 

 

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