Tiny volcanic island erupts in the Pacific Ocean
Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features volcanic activity on Nishinoshima, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean. The island was formed in November 2013 as a result of volcanic activity about 620 miles south of Tokyo.
“The Operational Land Imager-2 on Landsat 9 captured this natural-color image of the island on October 6, 2022, during a bout of explosive activity,” says NASA.
“The water around the island is discolored by volcanic minerals and gases and perhaps by seafloor sediment stirred up by the eruption. Ash reached a height of 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) between October 5-11, according to the Global Volcanism Program.”
“Small, bright plumes of steam routinely emanate from Nishionoshima and are often visible in satellite imagery. But a larger and darker plume became visible on October 1, 2022, a sign that the volcano had likely started to erupt ash.”
Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer
