On June 25, 2005, Anatahan Volcano erupted again, continuing its state of elevated seismic activity. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the volcano sent a plume of ash and steam 3,600 meters (12,000 feet) in the air. Authorities have placed Anatahan Island off limits until further notice.
In this picture, ash drifts westward across the Pacific from the volcano’s summit. Acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite, this satellite image shows a red outline near the volcano’s summit. The outline indicates an area that is significantly hotter than its surroundings. This thermal spike could result from a fire sparked by the volcano, or by the volcano itself.
NASA image courtesy of Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center.
