Shiveluch

Shiveluch

Shiveluch from space, July 2007.
Highest point
Elevation 3,307 m (10,850 ft) [1]
Prominence 3,168 m (10,394 ft) [1]
Ranked 73rd
Isolation 80 kilometres (50 mi)
Listing Ultra
Coordinates 56°39′12″N 161°21′42″E / 56.65333°N 161.36167°E / 56.65333; 161.36167Coordinates: 56°39′12″N 161°21′42″E / 56.65333°N 161.36167°E / 56.65333; 161.36167 [1]
Geography
Shiveluch

Location in Russian Far East

Location Kamchatka, Russia
Geology
Mountain type Stratovolcano (active)
Last eruption 1999 to 2016 (ongoing)
Climbing
Easiest route basic rock/snow climb

Shiveluch (Russian: Шивелуч) is the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka Krai, Russia. It and Karymsky are Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanoes.

History

Shiveluch began forming about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, and it has had at least 60 large eruptions during the Holocene.[2] During this era, the most intense period of volcanism — including frequent large and moderate eruptions — occurred around 6500–6400 BC, 2250–2000 BC, and AD 50–650. This coincides with the peak of activity in other Kamchatka volcanoes. The current active period started around 900 BC. Since then, the large and moderate eruptions has been following each other in 50 to 400 year-long intervals.[3] Catastrophic eruptions took place in 1854 and 1956, when a large part of the lava dome collapsed and created a devastating debris avalanche.[4]

The most recent eruption of Young Shiveluch started on August 15, 1999, and continues as of 2016.[2] On February 27, 2015 Shiveluch erupted shooting ash into the atmosphere about 30,000 feet crossing the Bering sea and into Alaska.[5]

Characteristics

Terrain map of central Kamchatka Peninsula showing location of Shiveluch.

Shiveluch belongs to the Kliuchevskaya volcano group.[4] There are three elements of the volcano: the stratovolcano Old Shiveluch (Старый Шивелуч); an ancient caldera; and the active Young Shiveluch (Молодой Шивелуч), with an elevation of about 2,800 metres (9,186 ft).[6] Shiveluch is one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanic structures.[2] It is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of solidified ash, hardened lava and volcanic rocks.[7]

The nearest settlement from the volcano is Klyuchi, situated 50 km from the mountain.[8] The settlement is small enough to evacuate rapidly in case of a major eruption.[4]

References

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