Augustine 1963/10
Start: October 11, 1963 [1]
Stop: August 19, 1964 [1]
Event Type: Explosive
Max VEI: 2 [2]
- Pyroclastic flow, surge, or nuee ardente [1]
- Directed blast [1]
- Lava flow [3]
- Lahar, debris-flow, or mudflow [5]
Description: From Kienle and Swanson (1985): "On October 11, 1963, Augustine burst into activity again, sending an ash column to about 3,000 m and a pyroclastic flow down the flank of the volcano, which set fire to brush on the lower slopes. According to Detterman (1968), the eruption continued intermittently for about 10 months, with major explosions recorded on November 17, 1963, July 5 and August 19, 1964. Presumably, during one or more of the earlier vent clearing eruptions in late 1963 ash was dispersed in a northeasterly direction and preserved in the varved sediments of Skilak Lake, 210 km distant (Rymer and Sims, 1976).
"According to reports from field parties of the Pan American Petroleum Corporation (D.H. Reno, communication to R.B. Forbes) there was no unusual precursor activity during the summer 1963 field season, which terminated mid-July, but in the June-July 1964 field season the volcano was reported to be quite active and considerable ash was encountered on the mountains on the mainland up to 15 km west of Augustine. Where the ash was not disturbed it was a maximum of about 2.5 cm deep.
"Detterman (1968) reports that the cone emitted smoke and steam all through 1965 and 1966, before he actually visited the island to map the deposits of the 1963/64 eruption in 1967. Detterman thought that the initial eruption was a nuee ardente eruption directed toward the southeast and originating at the base of the 1935 summit tholoid. It allegedly blew out a section of crater wall '3,200 feet long, 500 feet high and 700 feet thick'.
"The 1963/64 eruptions greatly altered the summit configuration and finally a new dome emerged in the new crater southeast of the remnant of the 1935 summit tholoid. By September 1964 it had completely filled the crater, engulfed what was left of the eastern and southern crater rim and stood much higher than the original 1935 summit."
Detterman (1968) estimates the volume of debris flow at 0.09 cubic km, an estimate considered high by Kienle and Swanson (1985). Newhall and Melson (1983) list a "new dome" volume of 0.066 cubic km.
"According to reports from field parties of the Pan American Petroleum Corporation (D.H. Reno, communication to R.B. Forbes) there was no unusual precursor activity during the summer 1963 field season, which terminated mid-July, but in the June-July 1964 field season the volcano was reported to be quite active and considerable ash was encountered on the mountains on the mainland up to 15 km west of Augustine. Where the ash was not disturbed it was a maximum of about 2.5 cm deep.
"Detterman (1968) reports that the cone emitted smoke and steam all through 1965 and 1966, before he actually visited the island to map the deposits of the 1963/64 eruption in 1967. Detterman thought that the initial eruption was a nuee ardente eruption directed toward the southeast and originating at the base of the 1935 summit tholoid. It allegedly blew out a section of crater wall '3,200 feet long, 500 feet high and 700 feet thick'.
"The 1963/64 eruptions greatly altered the summit configuration and finally a new dome emerged in the new crater southeast of the remnant of the 1935 summit tholoid. By September 1964 it had completely filled the crater, engulfed what was left of the eastern and southern crater rim and stood much higher than the original 1935 summit."
Detterman (1968) estimates the volume of debris flow at 0.09 cubic km, an estimate considered high by Kienle and Swanson (1985). Newhall and Melson (1983) list a "new dome" volume of 0.066 cubic km.
References Cited
[1] Recent volcanic activity on Augustine Island, Alaska, 1968
Detterman, R. L., 1968, Recent volcanic activity on Augustine Island, Alaska: in Geological Survey research 1968, Chapter C, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper PP 0600-C, p. C126-C129.
full-text PDF 185 KB [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] Aleutian Islands and Alaska, 1963
Coats, R. R., 1963, Aleutian Islands and Alaska: Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions, v. 3, p. 3.[4] 2 Volcanoes erupt in Alaska, 1963
UPI, 1963, 2 Volcanoes erupt in Alaska: Pacific Stars and Stripes, November 20, 1963, p. 8.[5] Augustine - evolution of a volcano, 1977
Kienle, J., and Forbes, R. B., 1977, Augustine - evolution of a volcano: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Annual Report AR 1975-76, p. 26-48.[6] A three-dimensional magnetic model of Augustine Volcano, 1978
Barrett, S. A., 1978, A three-dimensional magnetic model of Augustine Volcano: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, Fairbanks, AK, 175 p.[7] Petrology, geochemistry, and the evolution of magmas from Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1986
Daley, E. E., 1986, Petrology, geochemistry, and the evolution of magmas from Augustine Volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, Fairbanks, AK, 103 p.[8] 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
Aleutian Islands and Alaska, 1963
Coats, R. R., 1963, Aleutian Islands and Alaska: Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions, v. 3, p. 3.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
Alaska, 1965
Hantke, G., 1965, Alaska: Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions, v. 5, p. 3-4.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
Augustine - evolution of a volcano, 1977
Kienle, J., and Forbes, R. B., 1977, Augustine - evolution of a volcano: University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Annual Report AR 1975-76, p. 26-48.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf
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.
A three-dimensional magnetic model of Augustine Volcano, 1978
Barrett, S. A., 1978, A three-dimensional magnetic model of Augustine Volcano: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, Fairbanks, AK, 175 p.
Petrology, geochemistry, and the evolution of magmas from Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 1986
Daley, E. E., 1986, Petrology, geochemistry, and the evolution of magmas from Augustine Volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, Fairbanks, AK, 103 p.
Recent volcanic activity on Augustine Island, Alaska, 1968
Detterman, R. L., 1968, Recent volcanic activity on Augustine Island, Alaska: in Geological Survey research 1968, Chapter C, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper PP 0600-C, p. C126-C129.
full-text PDF 185 KB 
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.
Explosive activity associated with the growth of volcanic domes, 1983
Newhall, C. G., and Melson, W. G., 1983, Explosive activity associated with the growth of volcanic domes: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 17, n. 1/4, p. 111-131.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
2 Volcanoes erupt in Alaska, 1963
UPI, 1963, 2 Volcanoes erupt in Alaska: Pacific Stars and Stripes, November 20, 1963, p. 8.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC file cabinet
Volcanic processes and geology of Augustine Volcano, Alaska, 2009
Waitt, R.B., and Beget, J.E., 2009, Volcanic processes and geology of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1762, 78 p., 2 plates, scale 1:25,000, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1762/ .