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Kanaga Volcano

Updated: Mar 28, 2024 11:52 GMT -
stratovolcano 1307 m / 4,288 ft
Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska , 51.92°N / -177.17°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 28 Feb 2024 (alert level downgraded to Green)
Kanaga Volcano Viewed from the west with Mt Moffet, Adak and Great Sitkin in the background (image taken May 8, 2010 by Cyrus Read, AVO/USGS)
Kanaga Volcano Viewed from the west with Mt Moffet, Adak and Great Sitkin in the background (image taken May 8, 2010 by Cyrus Read, AVO/USGS)

Kanaga volcano is an active symmetrical stratovolcano rising 1300 m on the northern part of Kanaga Island in the western Aleutians, Alaska. It is one of the most southerly volcanoes of the central Aleutian chain.
The volcano has a small 200 m wide and 60 m deep circular summit crater with fumaroles inside the crater and around its rims. Historical eruptions have been recorded since 1763, but not in much detail due to the remoteness of the volcano. A new eruption might have started on 18 February 2012.

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Typical eruption style: explosive
Kanaga volcano eruptions: 2012 (?), 1993-95, 1942, 1933, 1906, 1904, 1829 (?), 1791 (?), 1790 (?), 1783-87 (?), 1768, 1763

Latest nearby earthquakes

TimeMag. / DepthDistance / Location
Mar 23, 07:47 am (Adak)
Mar 23, 16:47 GMT
1.4

17 km
23 km (14 mi) to the SE Bering Sea, United States, 13 mi west of Adak Island, Aleutians West, Alaska Info
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 20, 12:21 pm (Adak)
Mar 20, 21:21 GMT
1.4

1.5 km
28 km (17 mi) to the SW 59 km WSW of Adak, Alaska Info
Saturday, March 16, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 15, 06:09 pm (Adak)
Mar 16, 03:09 GMT
2.0

2.7 km
28 km (17 mi) to the SE 18 km SW of Adak, Alaska Info
Thursday, March 14, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 14, 12:32 pm (Adak)
Mar 14, 21:32 GMT
1.4

1.3 km
18 km (11 mi) to the E 20 Km Wnw of Adak, Alaska Info
Thursday, March 21, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 20, 10:39 pm (Adak)
Mar 21, 07:39 GMT
1.1

3.4 km
28 km (17 mi) to the SW 59 km WSW of Adak, Alaska Info
Saturday, March 23, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 23, 01:19 am (Adak)
Mar 23, 10:19 GMT
1.0

11 km
4.7 km (2.9 mi) to the N Bering Sea, United States, 23 mi west of Adak, Aleutians West, Alaska Info

Background

Symmetrical Kanaga stratovolcano is situated within the Kanaton caldera at the northern tip of Kanaga Island. It is composed of interbedded basaltic and andesitic lava flows, scoria layers, and pyroclastic rocks.
The rim of Kanaton caldera forms a 760-m-high arcuate ridge south and east of Kanaga; a lake occupies part of the SE caldera floor. The volume of subaerial dacitic tuff is smaller than would typically be associated with caldera collapse, and deposits of a massive submarine debris avalanche associated with edifice collapse extend nearly 30 km to the NNW. Several fresh lava flows from historical or late prehistorical time descend the flanks of Kanaga, in some cases to the sea.
Kanaga is also noted petrologically for ultramafic inclusions within an outcrop of alkaline basalt SW of the volcano. Fumarolic activity occurs in a circular, 200-m-wide, 60-m-deep summit crater and produces vapor plumes sometimes seen on clear days from Adak, 50 km to the east.
(Smithsonian / GVP volcano information)

Eruptions of Kanaga volcano



1994-95 eruption
Prior to 2012, the last eruption of Kanaga was in 1994-1995 when observed eruptive plumes were relatively dilute, rising to altitudes of less than 3 km (9,840 ft) and dropping ash onto the flanks of the volcano. Larger ash emissions reaching up to 7.5 km occurred on 21 February 1995. ...more info

1906 eruption
Kanaga was seen in eruption 1906 a hunter reported. The eruption was accompanied by earthquakes and lava flows were reported on the east and west side of the steep volcano's cone.

1904 eruption
Not much is known about the eruption of Kanaga volcano in 1904. Historic documents suggest a lava flow on the upper southern flank.

Latest satellite images

Kanaga satellite image sat1Kanaga satellite image sat2
Wed, 28 Feb 2024, 05:28

Kanaga volcano (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): alert level downgraded to Green

Kanaga volcano as seen from the webcam on 26 Feb (image: AVO)
The Alaska Volcano Observatory reported that the seismic unrest at the volcano has decreased over the past weeks. ... Read all
Wed, 10 Jan 2024, 15:00

Kanaga volcano (Andreanof Islands, USA) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 3 January-9 January 2024 (New Activity / Unrest)

AVO reported that unrest at Kanaga continued during 3-9 January; no new eruptive activity was evident in satellite and webcam images. Small daily earthquakes were detected until 2 January when a storm-related power failure took local monitoring data offline. Satellite radar images showed that large NW-SE-trending fractures intersecting the summit crater had likely formed around the time of the 18 December explosive event. ... Read all

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