Scientists have recorded a rare phenomenon in Alaska – for the first time in 7 years there are three volcanoes. They do not yet threaten settlements and air traffic.
Researchers have noted that simultaneous volcanic eruptions have been going on for more than a week, but now they do not pose a threat to surrounding settlements and do not interfere with air traffic. However, due to volcanic activity, the Aleutian Islands, a large archipelago that runs west of the Alaska Peninsula and serves as the border between the North Pacific and the Bering Sea, are under constant surveillance.
“There are a lot of volcanoes in Alaska, and we usually see an average of one eruption a year,” said Matthew Lowen, a geologist and researcher at the Alaska Volcanic Observatory. “Three eruptions at once – it’s not so often, but it happens.”
Pavlova volcano, Velykyi Sitkin volcano and Semisopochny volcano remain under orange threat levels, which means that eruptions continue and minor ash emissions have been detected.
The volcanic islands that make up the so-called Aleutian Arc are part of a horseshoe-shaped area that can be traced along the Pacific Ocean, where numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, this region is seismically and volcanically active because it is located on the border of several tectonic plates that are in constant contact with each other.
Although Pavlova Volcano, Great Sitkin, and Semisopochny are located in remote parts of the Aleutian Islands, they can create ash clouds that are dangerous to air travel. Lowen noted that at least seven years have passed since the simultaneous eruption of three volcanoes in Alaska.