NASA MODIS Image of the Day: February 13, 2008 – Plume from Anatahan
Continuing its pattern of intermittent activity, Anatahan Volcano released more ash and steam on February 10, 2008.
The MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite took this picture the same day.
This picture shows the volcano plume meandering away from the volcano toward the northwest, spreading out as it goes. A bulletin issued on February 10 by the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency states that an area of “vog” appeared some 90 nautical miles (167 kilometers) north of the volcano. Vog can form when pollutants from a volcano mix with oxygen and water in the presence of sunlight, and it is also known as volcanic smog. The 9-kilometer- (5.6-mile-) long island of Anatahan is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of ash, lava, and rocks ejected by previous eruptions. The first historical eruption of Anatahan occurred in May 2003, forming a new crater inside the island’s eastern caldera.
