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ARTICLES ON HAWAIIAN BIRDS AND BIRDWATCHING

Volcanic Eruption on Torishima Island, nesting site of the Short-tailed Albatross, during Summer 2002.

An eruption on the volcanic island of Torishima is underway. A fishing vessel saw smoke coming from the volcano nine days ago. This small island is the main breeding site for the endangered Short-tailed Albatross - 85% of the breeding population use this volcano (the remainder being the small colony on the Senkaku Islands and occasional birds on Midway). Luckily the Albatrosses are away from the island at present - their breeding season is October to May. The leading expert on this species, Dr. Hiroshi Hasegawa, is confident that the Torishima population can survive by spending their life at sea until the unpredictable volcanic activities cool off and allow the birds to revisit Torishima.

Aerial pictures can be viewed on:

http://hakone.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/vrc/erup/torisima.html

and the NOAA information bulletin is on

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/infobulletins/volcano.html

If these links are discontinued see the photos below.

BACKGROUND

Izu-Torishima is a basaltic to basaltic andesite volcano of an ovoid-shaped island, 2.7 km across, about 600 km south of Tokyo. The latest eruptions occurred in 1902 and 1939. In the 1902 eruption, the central cone was lost by the eruptions, resulting in the formation of a large crater (800 m long and 300 m wide) in the central part of the island. Eruptions also occurred in the NW coast and in the sea about 1 km SSW of the island. One hundred and twenty five people, all of the islanders, were killed in these eruptions. In the 1939 eruption, lava of about 0.1 cubic kilometer flowed out. Though the JMA staff had carried out the meteorological and volcanological monitoring on this volcano during 1947-1965, they withdrew from the island in the seismic crisis in 1965. No one stays on this island now.

08/12/02

NAVTEX Navigational Warnings were issued from the Yokohama station of the Japan Coast Guard around 9 p.m., August 11, 2002; "Nanpo Shoto. Ioyama of Torishima, White smoke spouting observed". JMA issued the Volcano Observation Report No.1 on Izu-Torishima volcano at 10:30 p.m. the same day, reporting the rising smoke as high as 200 to 300 m above the summit.

"Around 15:30 (JST) on August 11th, a ship sailing near Izu-Torishima Island reported to the Japan Coast Guard that they witnessed white smoke rising from the summit of the volcanic island. After receiving this news, the Japan Coast Guard had inspected this island from the air during 17:38-18:18, and confirmed the rising plume of 200-300 m high from near the summit of Iwoyama. JMA is planning an inspection from the air on August 12. Unconfirmed information to the Japan Coast Guard on the August 12 morning said a black smoke is rising".

08/12/02

The Yomiuri Shinbun shot the image of volcanic-ashy smoke rising from the summit of Izu-Torishima volcano on the August 12 morning (below).
Western view of the Izu-Torishima island taken from the Yomiuri-Shinbun aircraft at 8:45 a.m., August 12, 2002 (Courtesy of Yomiuri Shinbun)

08/12/02

JMA issued the Volcano Observation Report No.2 on Izu-Torishima volcano at 17:15 this day, based on their inspection from the aircraft of the Japan Coast Guard during 11:45-12:45 a.m. Ash-laden plume was rising from SW crater wall of the summit crater (Iwoyama) and white plumes from S to SE crater wall (see photos). Vigorous ash plume had risen up to 200 to 300 m above the crater every few minutes, being drifted to W around 1 km above the sea level. The summit area and the middle slope NNW of the summit were covered with ash fall deposits. Discolored sea surface was observed as far as 20 km W from the island.

Photo-1: Southern view of Torishima volcano with eruption plume from the summit crater, taken by Messrs Iino and Kanno, JMA around the noon of August 12, 2002.

Photo-2: Crater at Mt. Iwoyama, Torishima volcano, taken by Messrs Iino and Kanno, JMA staff around the noon of August 12, 2002.

08/15/02

According to the information from Japan Coast Guard (through JMA), which is carrying out the air inspection of the volcanic activity at Izu-Torishima, the eruption activity had continued as of the noon of August 14; the eruption cloud reached about 4,000 ft (5,000 ft as maximum) above the sea level on August 13, and about 3,000 feet on August 14. Three active areas from which smokes were emitted were observed along the western inner-wall of the summit crater. The crater seems to have widened during eruption. Discolored sea surface disappeared on August 14.

Photo1: Northwestern view of Izu-Torishima around the August 13 noon. Courtesy of Japan Coast Guard.

Photo2: Southwestern view of Izu-Torishima around the August 13 noon. Courtesy of Japan Coast Guard

Photo3: View of Izu-Torishima on the August 14 afternoon. Courtesy of Japan Coast Guard

Photo4: View of the summit crater on the August 14 afternoon. Courtesy of Japan Coast Guard

IZU-TORISHIMA, Izu-Marian islands
(Iwoyama 394m, 30o28'48"N, 140o18'22"E)

08/21/02

According to the aerial inspection by Japan Coast Guard on August 21 (through JMA), Izu-Torishima had not smoked any longer, except for weak steaming in the southern part of the crater. However, faint discolored sea surface was observed around the island.

Information contact: JMA, Tomonori Kannno, tkanno@met.kishou.go.jp; Hitoshi Yamasato, yamasato@met.kishou.go.jp

Also check out the Short-tailed Albatross account on the Birding Hawaii website: Click Here.

Christian Melgar. Worthing, West Sussex, UK. 2002.

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