Viewing page 58 of 170

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[Image]]

Klyuchevskaya eruption (Volcano Image #4)

image #STS068-214-045
30 September 1994
Hasselblad Camera, 250 mm lens

Background for the teacher:
This photograph was taken by the astronauts on board the Space Shuttle shortly after their launch on September 30, 1994 (STS-68). The photo captures the eruption of Klyuchevskaya volcano, near the peak of the eruption. This volcano is in Kamchatka, in eastern Russia (the same region shown in the previous image; this volcano is just outside of the area shown there). The large, black eruption plume billows from the summit of the volcano, and ash is being deposited on the snow-covered ground to the east and southeast (north is above the plume). A small steam plume also rises from the peak of Bezymyanny, just south of Klyuchevskaya, near the center of the photo.

The eruption cloud reached 60,000 feet above sea level, and winds carried ash as far as 640 miles from the volcano! The ash affected airplanes traveling in the north Pacific air corridor -- an air corridor travel by up to 70 flights (roughly 10,000 passengers) per day. This was thought to be the largest eruption of Klyuchevskaya in 40 years.

Possible starting points for student investigations:
•What is happening in the image? What is the billowing brown stuff?
•Which way is the wind blowing?
•How frequently do volcanoes erupt in this region?
•How frequently do volcanoes erupt around the world? 
 (hint: try the volcano web site: http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/)
•How much do volcanoes affect the atmosphere?


Teachers' Guide    Page9.29