KVERT: history
From January 1, 2001 to October 20, 2004 KVERT worked under the agreement 01/00 “Volcanic Ash and Safety for Aviation”. During this time KVERT sent 270 weekly reports on the status of volcanoes of Kamchatka and North Kuriles to AVO. In addition, KVERT sent daily reports on the status of volcanoes of Kamchatka (in English) and urgent reports on ash explosions to AVO and Yelizovo Airport Meteorological Center (AMC). All works were carried out in close cooperation with AVO, Kamchatka Experimental and Methodical Seismological Department (KEMSD) GS RAS and AMC. The KVERT as part of IVGG FED RAS and with support from AVO provided (KEMSD) GB RAS with money for placing digital video cameras for continuous observation of Klyuchevskoy (2000) of Sheveluch (2002) and of Bezymianny (2003) volcanoes. The web-cams transmit real-time images via the Internet and enable continuous observation of their respective volcanoes, technical support is provided by KEMSD GS RAS.
In August 2001, KVERT successfully predicted the eruption of Bezymianny volcano based on the analysis of visual, satellite, and seismic data. As a result, all necessary arrangements for flight safety were taken and a potential hazard was avoided.
KVERT started to receive TERRA MODIS satellite images from the State Enterprise Rosgeolfond (Russian Geological Fund), Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the middle of September 2002, and daily TERRA MODIS images starting from the end of October. From November 1, 2002 these images are available at: http://www.kcs.iks.ru/ivs/kvert/satellite/modis. An information list on KVERT operations in English was published in October 2002: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs064-02/; and in Russian in April 2003: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs064-02/fs064-02russian.pdf.
From January until May 2003, the Kamchatskoye Vremya (Kamchatka Times) newspaper published daily information and eruption predictions for the next week about the most active volcanoes of Kamchatka and the North Kuriles. In February 2003, KVERT was presented a gold medal for work on the program “Flight Safety During Volcanic Eruption” at the Third Moscow International Innovation Investment Show.
From April 19 to 25, 2003 KVERT organized the international conference in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, “Monitoring Volcanic Activity of Kamchatka and North Kuriles (KNK) Region: Past, Present, and Future”. The conference was dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the founding of KVERT and was devoted to the establishment of SVERT in Sakhalin.
On April18, during the conference, Chikurachki Volcano on the island of Paramushir (North Kuriles) started to erupt and continued until June 25. KVERT made four information releases on this event without determination of color code. During this conference, it was decided that KVERT had the authority to guarantee flight safety in the area of North Kuriles.
Since May 9, KVERT Information Release 21-03 is called “Volcano Activity of KNK Region”.
From October 1 to 4, 2003 the international conference “Volcanic Data Representation: Meeting on the Issues of Their Impact on International Air-routes” took place in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Dimitar Ivanov, the official representative of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), participated in this conference. O.A. Girina, head of KVERT, reported the status of volcanic activity monitoring in KNK region, which was much appreciated by the official representative of ICAO.
In May 10, 2004, on initiative of the head of KVERT, the group began close cooperation with Tokyo VAAC, and started to send daily and weekly reports in English.
In 2003, KVERT renewed its web site. From 11 July 2003 KVERT posts here weekly forecasts for aviation on KNK volcanoes hazard and Active Volcanoes of Kamchatka and Kuriles Catalogue. In 2020 this web site was considerably renewed again: http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/.
In May 2004 Sheveluch started to erupt. There were no obvious evidences of strong explosive event, but on January 16, 2004, KVERT changed the color code at Sheveluch volcano from Yellow to Orange due to concern over the increase in seismic activity. Sheveluch remained at Orange until the strong explosive eruption on May 10. During this event KVERT worked in close cooperation with AVO, Yelizovo AMC, Tokyo VAAC, they exchanged data and provided each other with all information on the eruption and informed all interested organizations.
On July 19, 2004, strong explosive eruption of Bezymianny occurred. KVERT changed the color code of it from Yellow to Orange and predicted a strong explosive eruption in the nearest future. All necessary arrangements for flights safety were taken. The forecast proved to be correct, on July 19 there was indeed an explosive eruption at Bezymianny volcano. On August 20, 2004, the Meteorological Agency of Rosgidromet ratified a procedure for SIGMET information releases regarding volcanic ash collection and sharing of data. It was decided that KVERT would share in the responsibility of ensuring flight safety. Along with meteorological centers, KVERT was included on the procedure list and named as the responsible party for providing information regarding volcanic ash clouds.
In August 2001, KVERT successfully predicted the eruption of Bezymianny volcano based on the analysis of visual, satellite, and seismic data. As a result, all necessary arrangements for flight safety were taken and a potential hazard was avoided.
KVERT started to receive TERRA MODIS satellite images from the State Enterprise Rosgeolfond (Russian Geological Fund), Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the middle of September 2002, and daily TERRA MODIS images starting from the end of October. From November 1, 2002 these images are available at: http://www.kcs.iks.ru/ivs/kvert/satellite/modis. An information list on KVERT operations in English was published in October 2002: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs064-02/; and in Russian in April 2003: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/fact-sheet/fs064-02/fs064-02russian.pdf.
From January until May 2003, the Kamchatskoye Vremya (Kamchatka Times) newspaper published daily information and eruption predictions for the next week about the most active volcanoes of Kamchatka and the North Kuriles. In February 2003, KVERT was presented a gold medal for work on the program “Flight Safety During Volcanic Eruption” at the Third Moscow International Innovation Investment Show.
From April 19 to 25, 2003 KVERT organized the international conference in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, “Monitoring Volcanic Activity of Kamchatka and North Kuriles (KNK) Region: Past, Present, and Future”. The conference was dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the founding of KVERT and was devoted to the establishment of SVERT in Sakhalin.
On April18, during the conference, Chikurachki Volcano on the island of Paramushir (North Kuriles) started to erupt and continued until June 25. KVERT made four information releases on this event without determination of color code. During this conference, it was decided that KVERT had the authority to guarantee flight safety in the area of North Kuriles.
Since May 9, KVERT Information Release 21-03 is called “Volcano Activity of KNK Region”.
From October 1 to 4, 2003 the international conference “Volcanic Data Representation: Meeting on the Issues of Their Impact on International Air-routes” took place in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Dimitar Ivanov, the official representative of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), participated in this conference. O.A. Girina, head of KVERT, reported the status of volcanic activity monitoring in KNK region, which was much appreciated by the official representative of ICAO.
In May 10, 2004, on initiative of the head of KVERT, the group began close cooperation with Tokyo VAAC, and started to send daily and weekly reports in English.
In 2003, KVERT renewed its web site. From 11 July 2003 KVERT posts here weekly forecasts for aviation on KNK volcanoes hazard and Active Volcanoes of Kamchatka and Kuriles Catalogue. In 2020 this web site was considerably renewed again: http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/.
In May 2004 Sheveluch started to erupt. There were no obvious evidences of strong explosive event, but on January 16, 2004, KVERT changed the color code at Sheveluch volcano from Yellow to Orange due to concern over the increase in seismic activity. Sheveluch remained at Orange until the strong explosive eruption on May 10. During this event KVERT worked in close cooperation with AVO, Yelizovo AMC, Tokyo VAAC, they exchanged data and provided each other with all information on the eruption and informed all interested organizations.
On July 19, 2004, strong explosive eruption of Bezymianny occurred. KVERT changed the color code of it from Yellow to Orange and predicted a strong explosive eruption in the nearest future. All necessary arrangements for flights safety were taken. The forecast proved to be correct, on July 19 there was indeed an explosive eruption at Bezymianny volcano. On August 20, 2004, the Meteorological Agency of Rosgidromet ratified a procedure for SIGMET information releases regarding volcanic ash collection and sharing of data. It was decided that KVERT would share in the responsibility of ensuring flight safety. Along with meteorological centers, KVERT was included on the procedure list and named as the responsible party for providing information regarding volcanic ash clouds.