Vigorous Plume from Nyiragongo Volcano - Africa

Africa’s Mount Nyiragongo—one of the few volcanoes with a permanent lava lake—recently experienced a surge in activity. Since July 3rd, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reported a series of ash plumes up to an altitude of 18,000 feet (5,500 meters), which is about 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above the volcano’s 11,384-foot (3,470 m) summit. Nyiragongo frequently emits sulfur dioxide, but ash emissions are unusual. This natural-color satellite image shows emissions streaming southwest from Nyiragongo, with an additional plume from nearby Nyamuragira. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite on July 5, 2012.

1. Reference

2. Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center. (2012, July 5). VA Advisory. Accessed July 5, 2012.

• Related Reading

• Observing Volcanoes, Satellite Thinks for Itself
• Nyamuragira Volcano Erupts

NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC.

Instrument: 

Aqua - MODIS - NASA