22-25 January 2012: Activity in Kimanura CraterIn November 2011 Nyamuragira Volcano started another flank eruption. Soon a cinder cone named Kimanura developped about 10km East of the summit caldera. In December 2011 activity shifted about half a kilometre further East. The new Kimanura East Crater remained active for months. Marco took the rare opportunity to visit this volcano which is notoriously difficult to visit. He was part of a VolcanoDiscovery expedition. The activity, although decreasing in intensity, allowed the group to be the first to climb the inactive Kimanura West Crater. From there the entire eruptive field could be seen, which is about 10km long. As usual, we report the focal length of the lenses used (16x24mm sensor). All times are local (GMT + 2hr). | |||
 f=10.5mm, 22 Jan 4pm. Kimanura West Crater (left) was active in November 2011. Later, Kimanura East Crater (right) became active. |  f=10.5mm, 22 Jan 6pm. Rangers of Virunga National Park take care of the safety of tourists who visit the active volcano. |  f=10.5mm, 23 Jan 3pm. The VolcanoDiscovery group and the rangers reach the fissure between the Kimanura Craters. |  f=135mm, 23 Jan 4pm. From this position we observe impressive Strombolian activity ejecting meter-sized lava clots. |
 f=135mm, 23 Jan 5pm. From the summit of Kimanura West Crater: the lava flow ignites the forest 10km in the distance. |  f=50mm, 23 Jan 6pm. Kimanura cinder cones rise in the middle of the equatorial rain forest (right background). |  f=10.5mm, 23 Jan 7pm. The highest dead trees of the buried forest stick out of the ash layers which are several meters thick. |  f=135mm, 24 Jan 5am. Occasionally very fluid lava is ejected by the lava lake forming long filaments similar to honey. |
 f=10.5mm, 24 Jan 6am. Dawn view of Kimanura Volcano, from the lava flow (left) to Mikeno Volcano (4432m.a.s.l., right). |  f=50mm, 24 Jan 6am. During the night the main lava flow has found its way towards the far left. |  f=10.5mm, 24 Jan 6am. Between Kimanura and Mikeno Volcanoes, far Muhavura Volcano (4127m.a.s.l.) can be seen. |  f=50mm, 25 Jan 5am. Ephemeral vents feed a new small lava flow closer to Kimanura Crater (at right). |
 f=10.5mm, 25 Jan 6am. Martin Rietze (on the right) observes the activity in Kimanura East Crater. |  f=24mm, 25 Jan 6am. Lava moves around in Kimanura East Crater, while the north-eastern sky becomes pink during dawn. |  f=135mm, 25 Jan 7am. Zoom on the Strombolian activity in Kimanura East Crater. |  f=135mm, 25 Jan 7am. Sometimes the thick smoke disappears for a while. Thus we get a clear view of the meter-sized lava clots. |
| Copyright: M. Fulle. | |||