Do you know when Jan Mayen last erupted? I once flew over this island on a flight to Europe and later once read that this is the world's most northerly volcano. It was beautiful, cloaked entirely in snow with the surrounding sea filled with icebergs and pack ice. I saw an airstrip carved into the snow where the dominating Ranier-like peak flanked out to sea, but no communities. Also, I thought that maybe the question asked by Mike McNeil regarding the smoking hills may either be the Katmai region "Valley Of The 10,000 Smokes" or, most likely, a region in the Franklin River area of Canada where it goes into the Arctic Ocean (I'm guessing about 1500 miles east of the mouth of the MacKenzie) where an exposed rock strata has been creating a chemical reaction with the atmosphere releasing lots of yellow sulphur-like smoke. According to a Nat'l Geographic article I saw about an exploration along the Franklin some 15-20 years ago, this has been naturally occuring for years, and obviously is not a volcanic phenomena but a unique occurrence. I guess there are certain chemicals within the earth that incinerate when exposed to air. Thank you-please direct this question to Steve Mattox. P.S. I thought an interesting subject to touch on would be on how volcano and earthquake centers co-ordinate efforts and alert others in regards to issuing tsunami warnings resulting from eruptions and quakes. And a pronouncer on some of the more difficult volcano names (like the ones on the Kamchatka Peninsula) would be useful too! Thanks for contributing to a most informative volcano site!

Tarkus Kayoa-Bonaqeraj

Dear Tarkus,

Beerenberg, a stratovolcano on the island of Jan Mayen, last erupted in 1985. The eruption lasted only three days. You are right, Beerenberg is the northern most volcano.

Thanks for the info on the Franklin River area.

If we get time we'll write about tsunami. Perhaps we can get some of the Russian students to help with the pronunciation of the names if Kamchatkan volcanoes.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota

Sources of Information:
Imsland, P., 1986, The volcanic eruption on Jan Mayen, January 1985: Interaction between a volcanic island and a fracture zone: Journal of Volcanology and geothermal Research, v. 28, p. 45-54.

Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p.

Sylvester, A.G., 1975, History and surveillance of volcanic activity on Jan Mayen Island: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 39, p. 313-335.

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