Augustine 1812
Start: 1812 [1]
Event Type: Explosive
Max VEI: 3 [2]
- Central eruption [2]
- Tephra plume [4]
- Lava flow [1]
Description: From Kisslinger (1983), translating Doroshin (1870): "It was active in 1812, as was positively confirmed for me by a native of the village located on the opposite shore of Kenai Bay. It wasn't possible to land canoes on the island while the wind was blowing, because the lava, which descends into the sea in a gentle slope, could at any time tear the skin of the canoe."
Waitt and Beget (2009) state "This sparse and cryptic information suggests pyroclastic flows carrying boulder-sized pumice swept down the north and northeast flanks and into the sea. Such flows could voluminously reach down the short and steep run to water before debris avalanche added land to the coast in 1883 [see plate 1 in original text].
"Yet we identify on Augustine Island no mappable deposit definitely of 1812. At the likely focus of pyroclastic flows, north and northeast, five later eruptions also focused debris - voluminously so in 1883, 1976, and 1986. The 1883 debris avalanche deeply buried that lower volcano flank in coarse rubble and established a new coast more than 2 km beyond the old one. There's no seeing what lies below these deposits. But in our interpretation of some measured sections [see plate 2 in original text] we speculate that a thin ash below the ash layer we identify with 1883 to be 1812 ash."
Waitt and Beget (2009) state "This sparse and cryptic information suggests pyroclastic flows carrying boulder-sized pumice swept down the north and northeast flanks and into the sea. Such flows could voluminously reach down the short and steep run to water before debris avalanche added land to the coast in 1883 [see plate 1 in original text].
"Yet we identify on Augustine Island no mappable deposit definitely of 1812. At the likely focus of pyroclastic flows, north and northeast, five later eruptions also focused debris - voluminously so in 1883, 1976, and 1986. The 1883 debris avalanche deeply buried that lower volcano flank in coarse rubble and established a new coast more than 2 km beyond the old one. There's no seeing what lies below these deposits. But in our interpretation of some measured sections [see plate 2 in original text] we speculate that a thin ash below the ash layer we identify with 1883 to be 1812 ash."
Impact: "During the vent clearing eruptions in 1812, ash dispersed 210km northeast to Skilak Lake." [6]
Other Impacts: "During the vent clearing eruptions in 1812, ash dispersed 210km northeast to Skilak Lake." [6]
References Cited
[1] Some volcanoes, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes in the former Russian America. Peter Doroshin's account of volcanic activity and earthquakes between 1840 and 1866, 1983
Kisslinger, J.B., 1983, Some volcanoes, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes in the former Russian America. Peter Doroshin's account of volcanic activity and earthquakes between 1840 and 1866: Pacific Northwest Quarterly, v. 74, n. 2, p. 59-68.[2] Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions, 2003
Siebert, L., and Simkin, T., 2002-, Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series GVP-3, http://volcano.si.edu/search_volcano.cfm, unpaged internet resource.
[3] Tsunami waves generated by Mt. St. Augustine volcano, Alaska, 1996
Troshina, E. N., 1996, Tsunami waves generated by Mt. St. Augustine volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, 84 p.[4] Volcanism in the eastern Aleutian Arc: late Quaternary and Holocene centers, tectonic setting and petrology, 1983
Kienle, Juergen, and Swanson, S. E., 1983, Volcanism in the eastern Aleutian Arc: late Quaternary and Holocene centers, tectonic setting and petrology: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 17, n. 1-4, p. 393-432.[5] Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1998
Waythomas, C. F., and Waitt, R. B., 1998, Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-0106, 39 p., 1 plate, scale unknown.
full-text PDF 2.08 MB
map sheet plate 3.14 MB [6] Volcanic hazards from future eruptions of Augustine volcano, Alaska, second edition, 1985
Kienle, J., and Swanson, S. E., 1985, Volcanic hazards from future eruptions of Augustine volcano, Alaska, second edition: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Report UAG-R 275, 122 p.Complete Eruption References
Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions, 2003
Siebert, L., and Simkin, T., 2002-, Volcanoes of the world: an illustrated catalog of Holocene volcanoes and their eruptions: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series GVP-3, http://volcano.si.edu/search_volcano.cfm, unpaged internet resource.
Volcanic activity in the Aleutian Arc, 1950
Coats, R. R., 1950, Volcanic activity in the Aleutian Arc: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 0974-B, p. 35-49, 1 sheet, scale 1:5,000,000.
plate 1 PDF 819 KB
full-text PDF 783 KB 
Some volcanoes, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes in the former Russian America. Peter Doroshin's account of volcanic activity and earthquakes between 1840 and 1866, 1983
Kisslinger, J.B., 1983, Some volcanoes, volcanic eruption, and earthquakes in the former Russian America. Peter Doroshin's account of volcanic activity and earthquakes between 1840 and 1866: Pacific Northwest Quarterly, v. 74, n. 2, p. 59-68.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
Volcanic hazards from future eruptions of Augustine volcano, Alaska, second edition, 1985
Kienle, J., and Swanson, S. E., 1985, Volcanic hazards from future eruptions of Augustine volcano, Alaska, second edition: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Report UAG-R 275, 122 p.
Tsunami waves generated by Mt. St. Augustine volcano, Alaska, 1996
Troshina, E. N., 1996, Tsunami waves generated by Mt. St. Augustine volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, 84 p.
Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1998
Waythomas, C. F., and Waitt, R. B., 1998, Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-0106, 39 p., 1 plate, scale unknown.
full-text PDF 2.08 MB
map sheet plate 3.14 MB 
Volcanism in the eastern Aleutian Arc: late Quaternary and Holocene centers, tectonic setting and petrology, 1983
Kienle, Juergen, and Swanson, S. E., 1983, Volcanism in the eastern Aleutian Arc: late Quaternary and Holocene centers, tectonic setting and petrology: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 17, n. 1-4, p. 393-432.
