Shadow Cast by Bezymianny Volcano

Shadow Cast by Bezymianny Volcano

Despite no reports of activity, Bezymianny Volcano exhibited a modest plume on November 25, 2009. The plume appears translucent white in this false-color satellite image acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) aboard NASA’s Terra spacecraft. The white color and absence of visible ash on the snow-covered peak suggest that the plume is mostly steam. A striking shadow cast by the plume darkens the southern flank of neighboring Kamen Volcano. Bezymianny and Kamen are two of many volcanoes located on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, based on data from the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Robert Simmon.