Whakaari/White Island erupted briefly this morning, sending dark-coloured plumes, containing ash, into the sky before winds dispersed them to the northeast.
Observers watched the “minor, short-lived” eruption through cameras, which began at 10.15am with the final observed ash emission at about 12pm.
Scientists said it was “unclear at this stage” whether this morning’s volcanic activity would cease or progress to more sustained ash emission in coming days.
Volcanic alert levels remained unchanged at level 2, with aviation colour codes staying yellow “given the short duration and small scale of this emission of ash”.
The eruption was first identified as a dark-coloured plume rising to a height of “less than one kilometre above sea level”, duty volcanologist Paul Jarvis said.
“The dark colour was due to the plume containing some volcanic ash, which was dispersed by the wind to the northeast of the island,” Jarvis said.
“After around 30 minutes, the plume returned to a paler colour, more typical of Whakaari’s normal steam and gas plume. Subsequently, occasional short-lived darker plumes containing ash were observed, rising to 700m to 800 m above sea level.”
Jarvis said the small scale of this morning’s eruption meant it was very unlikely that ash will impact the mainland, adding “the level of volcanic activity would have to change significantly for this likelihood to increase.”
He noted that although the alert level remains at two, “short-lived increases in degassing or steam and gas plumes containing some volcanic ash can still occur with little or no warning, as shown by this morning’s activity”.
The potential for eruption hazards remains during volcanic alert level two, with the level mostly commonly associated with unrest hazards, including discharge of steam and hot volcanic gases, earthquakes, landslides and hydrothermal activity.
Earth Sciences NZ’s Volcano Monitoring Group and National Geohazards Monitoring Centre would continue to closely monitor for any further changes, Jarvis said.
Scientists cautioned that the volcanic alert level reflected the current level of volcanic activity and was not a forecast of future activity.
