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Report on field training mission to Kamchatka 17 June - 7 July 2008 Summary In analysing
the world context for glacier hazards, teams identified
that one important factor for catastrophic events is not
sufficiently manifested in the Caucasus: that of glacio-volcanic
interactions. Volcanic heat might have been a factor in
originating the Kolka glacier disaster, but no active
volcanoes are present in the region. Given the importance
of this factor in glacier disasters, additional field
training was held in the Kamchatka peninsula. The
training took part around the Kluchevskaya group of
active volcanoes, as well as Shiveluch and Avachinskiy
volcanoes. One of these, the Bezymyanny Volcano, has
produced a gigantic lahar (volcanic debris flow) in 1956,
with volume of 500 million m3, the largest debris flow
ever recorded in Russia. The team learned about glacial-volcanic
interactions that lead to lahars in Kamchatka, and about
specific glacio-geomorphological features of the region
and their influence on debris flow formation. Training
was carried out with help of local volcanologists and
debris flow scientists of the Kamchatka Division of the
Far East Branch of RAS. Success of this training enables
the teams to complete the review of some of the major
types of catastrophic glacier hazards, which has direct
relevance to project goals, and to the worlds disaster
reduction needs in the context of climate change.
Personnel Six project participants have attended the Kamchatka field training:
Visits
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