Zhupanovsky, a stratovolcano in the southeastern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, has been erupting since June 2014. On September 11, 2014, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) captured these views of ash drifting south across the Pacific Ocean. The top image was acquired by Terra at 12:45 p.m. local time; the bottom image was acquired by Aqua at 2:30 p.m. local time. According to the Global Volcanism Program, the explosions at Zhupanovksy are phreatic, caused by the nearly instantaneous vaporization of water with hot material below the surface.

NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Adam Voiland.