Studies in the activity of Klyuchevskoi volcano by remote sensing techniques between January 1, 2001 and July 31, 2005

The Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service (KB GS) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) has been observing the activity of Kamchatka volcanoes since 2000 in near real time using three methods: (1) seismicity monitoring (2) visual and video observations, and (3) satellite monitoring of thermal anomalies and ash discharges. The joint use of these data provides objective information on the state of the volcanoes from which to predict possible eruptions. During the period of time investigated, which culminated in the eruptions of March 10, 2003 to February 27, 2004 and January 12, 2005 to April 28, 2005, two active periods of Klyuchevskoi Volcano were identified. The results from our study of the first of these periods helped define an approximate scenario for the activity of the volcano before a summit eruption. The use of this experience in combination with an analysis of the literature enabled us to produce a successful short-term forecast of the January 2005 eruption.