Volcanoes

NASA satellite image released in October 2004 shows a plume of ash from an eruption of the Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea. A volcano on the remote Papua New Guinea island of Manam was quieter after erupting for two days, officials said.(AFP/NASA/File)


In this photo provided by the Alaska Volcano Observatory /University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, steam rises from the summit of Mount Augustine Volcano in Alaska, Wednesday, Jan. 18 2006. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory /University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, John Eichelberger)


This file photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS ) shows smoke and ash rising from the crater of Mount St. Helens in this Oct 1, 2004 file photo. A trail to the south rim of the Mount St. Helens crater, closed since a slow eruption began in late September 2004, may reopen this year, officials say. (AP Photo/USGS, John Pallister, File)


In this 1964 photo released by Department of Conservation, the volcano on Raoul Island, a nature reserve in the remote Kermadecs islands group of New Zealand is seen erupting. The volcano erupted on the remote island Friday, March 17, 2006, tossing mud, rocks and steam high into the air and prompting the evacuation of conservation workers in the area. One person was missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Department of Conservation, Don Merton, HO)


Mount Merapi volcano spews lava and hot clouds from its crater as dawn breaks as seen from Ngepos observatory in Muntilan subdistrict, Magelang, in February 2001. Vulcanologists have upgraded an alert on Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano on densely-populated Java island after it recorded increased activity.(AFP/Patmawitana )


Photo taken by the rescue helicopter pilot John Funnell of the area effected by the volcanic eruption on Raoul Island, Friday, March 17, 2006. A conservation worker was missing and feared dead after a remote New Zealand volcano unexpectedly burst into life as he was checking its crater lake, officials said Saturday. The man, in his early 30s, left his five co-workers at the accommodation block on volcanic Raoul Island around 7:30 a.m. local Friday (2030 GMT Thursday) to walk to Green Lake, said Rolien Elliot, area manager for the Department of Conservation. An hour later the volcano erupted. (AP Photo / NZPA, John Funnell)


A Javanese farmer works in his rice field in the shadow of the active volcano, Mount Merapi. Scientists are closely monitoring Mount Merapi on Indonesia's densely populated island of Java after registering increased activity over the weekend, officials said(AFP/File/Choo Youn-Kong)


Smoke rises as liquid mud flows down a glen on Mount Meakandake in Hokkaido, Japan, Tuesday afternoon, March 21, 2006. The volcano, about 890 kilometers (555 miles) northwest of Tokyo, erupted at about 6:28 a.m. on Tuesday (2128 GMT Monday), spewing a small amount of ash into the air, the Meteorological Agency said. (AP Photo/Kushiro Local Metrological Observatory via Kyodo News)


Volcanic eruption in 2004. A Philippines volcano spewed a column of ash nearly a mile (1.5 kilometres) into the sky, raising fears of a major eruption.(AFP/File)


Smoke rise from the existing big crator, background, and a newly-created small one in a glen, foreground, on Mount Meakandake in Hokkaido, Japan, Wednesday, March 22, 2006. The volcano, about 890 kilometers (555 miles) northwest of Tokyo, erupted Tuesday morning, spewing a small amount of ash into the air. (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Takuro Yabe)