A volcano in Alaska erupts once again, which has been active for the past six months. The Aviation Color Code was raised to red, the highest level, following the eruption.
The eruption of Bogoslof Volcano was detected by the Alaska Volcano Observatory in the Aleutian Islands on Sunday around 2:16 p.m., Bloomberg reported. The eruption threw an ash plume approximately 35,000 feet into the air for 55 minutes.
Due to the sudden eruption, the Aviation Color Code is now raised to the highest possible level - red. The airborne volcanic ash can intervene and destroy engines of the jet over 20,000 feet. Flights within Asia and North America are expected to be grounded for several days.
The Bogoslof Volcano is a cone-shaped volcano formed with various layers, it is considered as a submarine stratovolcano. It is placed on the southern edge of the Bering Sea, in which the total peak forms the Bogoslof Island. Over the past six months, the island has tripled in size causing frequent eruptions.
On May 17, the last eruption was recorded, throwing ash clouds as much as 34,000 feet high, but the eruption on Sunday indicates the most significant to date. Since December, the volcano erupts daily, on March 11, the Bogoslof Island expands to 242 acres in size and it is expected to continue to expand.
Meanwhile, Geophysicists are excited as the Bogoslof Volcano could provide new insights and opportunities for research purposes.
Geophysicist Hans Schwaiger from the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) said that the volcano is different from other volcanoes they have dealt with since it comes from the ocean, so the plumes have different characteristics.
The ash cloud could be as high as 45,000 feet, according to AVO. The infrared and seismic detectors, as well as satellite imagery on neighboring islands present all-quiet at Bogoslof, but the volcano is said to be "unpredictable."
A warning is still set, in which Bogoslof Volcano is in the unpredictable condition and heightened state of unrest. Further eruptions causing high-altitude volcanic clouds can possibly occur at any time.
Large white-gray mushroom cloud was also seen by local observers over the volcano, with ash falling out to the west.