![Landsat 8 satellite image showing the Nishino-shima island on 8 Oct; white lines=contour of old island now covered by fresh lava flows (annotation: Culture Volcan)]()
Landsat 8 satellite image showing the Nishino-shima island on 8 Oct; white lines=contour of old island now covered by fresh lava flows (annotation: Culture Volcan)
The volcanic eruption on the remote island continues. A recent satellite image that the lava flows from the active vent(s) have now covered the older part of the island, the original tiny Nishino-Shima island.
![Comparision of satellite images from 21 Aug and 6 Sep, showing the active lava flows (images: GSI/AIST, annotations: Culture Volcan)]()
Comparision of satellite images from 21 Aug and 6 Sep, showing the active lava flows (images: GSI/AIST, annotations: Culture Volcan)
Lava flows continue to be active and enlarge the growing island. During the past weeks, these have contributed to the growth of a platform towards the north of the active vents.
The Tokyo VAAC reported an ash plume from Nishinoshima that rose to an altitude of about 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S on 16 September.
![View of the Nishino-Shima island from the west on 26 Aug (Japanese Coast Guard)]()
View of the Nishino-Shima island from the west on 26 Aug (Japanese Coast Guard)
The island remains active and continues to grow as lava flows add new land to it. The Japanese Coast Guard made another survey flight on 26 August and observed ongoing effusive and explosive activity in the main crater.
![Nishinoshima on 23 July (image: Japanese Coast Guard)]()
Nishinoshima on 23 July (image: Japanese Coast Guard)
Activity at the growing island continues, perhaps even with increased intensity, judging from the recent pictures obtained by the Japanese Coast Guard on 23 July:
![Landsat 8 images of Nishino-Shima on 2 June and 4 July, showing the new platform to the east (images: AIST, annotation: Culture Volcan)]()
Landsat 8 images of Nishino-Shima on 2 June and 4 July, showing the new platform to the east (images: AIST, annotation: Culture Volcan)
The currently fastest growing island of the world remains active, with both effusive (lava flows enlarging the island) and explosive activity (strombolian and phreatomagmatic = water-magma explosions).
Tokyo VAAC reported volcanic ash from Nishinoshima at 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. at 2203 on 30 June; the plume extended NE. However, ash was not visible in satellite images.
An explosive event occurred last night at the growing island volcano. VAAC Tokyo reported an ash plume at 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude drifting to the northeast.
Thu, 19 Jun 2014, 15:37
![3 vents at Nishinoshima volcano (13 June)]()
3 vents at Nishinoshima volcano (13 June)
Eruptions continue to add land to the remote island volcano. Recent pictures by the Japanese Coast guard on 11 and 13 June show steaming along the shoreline, indicating active lava flow fronts, possibly tube-fed since no surface incandescence was visible.
Read allWed, 11 Jun 2014, 06:00
Photographs and video taken from a Japanese Coast Guard helicopter on 11 and 13 June revealed continuing eruptive activity at Nishinoshima. Steaming along the shoreline indicated at least two locations with active, or recently active, lava ocean entries, possibly tube-fed since no surface incandescence was visible. Night video clearly showed an active lava flow and ocean entry being supplied from lava fountaining out of a cinder cone.
Read allFri, 23 May 2014, 10:34
![Nishino-shima on 21 May 2014 (Japanese Coast Guard)]()
Nishino-shima on 21 May 2014 (Japanese Coast Guard)
The eruption on the remote island continues. The most recent overflight pictures by the Japanese Coast Guard show two active vents, one with a small lava-filled vent likely producing strombolian explosions, the other emitting a steam and gas plume.
Read allFri, 18 Apr 2014, 07:40
A possible explosive eruption occurred this morning; VAAC detected an ash plume at estimated 7,000 ft (2.1 km) altitude drifting east from the volcano. This could have been caused by a stronger phreato-magmatic explosion (sea water coming in contact with magma).
Wed, 16 Apr 2014, 06:00
Based on satellite images, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 18 April a possible eruption from Nishinoshima produced a plume that rose 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.
Read allMon, 7 Apr 2014, 05:24
![Aerial view of Nishinoshima on 24 March 2014 (Japan Coast Guard)]()
Aerial view of Nishinoshima on 24 March 2014 (Japan Coast Guard)
The ongoing eruption continues to add new land to the island with what seems a relatively steady effusion of lava flows. A new overflight by the Japanese Coast Guard shows that at least the second vent that appeared in late January is still active, feeding lava flows that continue to spread and currently have active fronts all along the eastern coast.
Read allTue, 4 Mar 2014, 11:37
![Part of Nishino-shima island with active flows on the southern shore, forming new bays and a small lake that once was a bay (Japan Coast guard)]()
Part of Nishino-shima island with active flows on the southern shore, forming new bays and a small lake that once was a bay (Japan Coast guard)
The island continues to grow as lava flows slowly spread into several directions. This is shown nicely by the latest aerial survey pictures the Japanese Coast guard took on 28 Feb. The most active flow fronts are currently at the southern shore while advance on the northern and eastern margins of the flow field has slowed down.
Read allFri, 21 Feb 2014, 13:38
![Aerial view of Nishinoshima on 16 Feb 2014 (Japan Coast Guard)]()
Aerial view of Nishinoshima on 16 Feb 2014 (Japan Coast Guard)
The island continues to grow by progressing lava flows into several directions, as the latest images by the Japanese Coast Guard from 16 Feb show. Its highest peak, formed by the western of the 2 active vents, was measured at 66 m, i.e. it now reached almost twice the height of the peak of the old island. The new addition has more than doubled the size of the island so far.
Read allWed, 5 Feb 2014, 11:12
![Nishino-Shima island on 3 Feb. For comparison, the previous shorelines on 20 Jan (yellow) and 21 Nov past year (white). (Image: Japanese Coast Guard)]()
Nishino-Shima island on 3 Feb. For comparison, the previous shorelines on 20 Jan (yellow) and 21 Nov past year (white). (Image: Japanese Coast Guard)
New images from an overflight on 3 February confirm that the activity on the former new island continues steadily. Over the past weeks, the vent has been feeding several active lava flow fronts, that enlarged the land covered by new lava in more or less all directions.
Read allTue, 4 Feb 2014, 12:36
![A hot spot on Nishino-Shima island and its location in the western Pacific]()
A hot spot on Nishino-Shima island and its location in the western Pacific
The eruption on the now merged Nishino-Shima and Niishima islands continues. A hot spot is visible on current MODIS data.
Read allSun, 26 Jan 2014, 11:52
![The former new island off Nishino-Shima seen on 20 Jan 2014(Japan Coast guard)]()
The former new island off Nishino-Shima seen on 20 Jan 2014(Japan Coast guard)
The volcano continues to enlarge the island with lava flows, but seems to have increasingly explosive activity as well. Ash plumes to altitudes of 4,000 ft (1.2 km) were reported during the past days. These could have originated from more violent water-magma interaction (phreatomagmatic activity) or simply stronger strombolian explosions.
Read allWed, 22 Jan 2014, 06:00
A photo and video posted by the Japan Coast Guard showed that on 20 January the Niijima portion of Nishino-shima was larger than the original island; the two islands had merged on 24 December 2013. White and brown plumes rose from Niijima and the water to the SW was discolored.
Read allWed, 15 Jan 2014, 15:01
![The new part of Nishino-Shima island with its eruptive vents and the still active lava flows towards the bay on the eastern shore]()
The new part of Nishino-Shima island with its eruptive vents and the still active lava flows towards the bay on the eastern shore
The Japanese Coast Guard made an overflight yesterday and published the attached picture of the (former new) island. It seems that while it is still might be effusing some lava that form flows reaching the eastern shore in the bay near the vents, the rate of lava effusion/growth has slowed down. No large changes of the island appear visible when compared to the images a week ago.
Wed, 15 Jan 2014, 06:00
Based on satellite analysis, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 21 January a possible ash plume from Nishino-shima rose .9 km (3,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. An image acquired a few hours later showed that ash had dissipated.
Read allMon, 6 Jan 2014, 13:37
![Comparison of Nishino-shima between 28 Dec and 6 Jan (Japanese Coast Guard)]()
Comparison of Nishino-shima between 28 Dec and 6 Jan (Japanese Coast Guard)
The new island that had "touched" Nishino-Shima has continued to grow and the two islands form now a coherent single one, with a interesting "butterfly" shape. This might of course change quickly again as well. There are now no traces left of the beach and the little colored lake that existed a week ago when the two islands started to merge.
Read all
