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  Image: Geographic Location Direction Photo #: ISS034-E-27139 Date: Jan. 2013
Geographic Region: JAPAN
Feature: KYUSHU, SAKURAJIMA VOLCANO, PLUME, KAGOSHIMA BAY, KAGOSHIMA, KIRISHIMA

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  View Low-Resolution Image  
  Sakurajima Volcano, Kyushu, Japan

This astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station highlights Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes (image center). There are several eruption craters near the 1,117 meter summit of Sakurajima; Kita-dake to the north last erupted approximately 5000 years ago, while Minami-dake and Showa crater to the south have been the site of frequent eruptions since at least the 8th century. The ash plume visible near the volcano summit and extending to the southeast may have originated from either Minami-dake or Showa craters. Sakurajima began forming approximately 13,000 years ago; prior to 1914, the volcano was an island in Kagoshima Bay--it was joined to the mainland by volcanic material following a major eruption in 1914.

The image highlights the proximity of several large urban areas (Aira, Kagoshima, Kanoya, Kirishima, and Miyakonojo are readily visible) to Sakurajima. This has prompted studies of potential health hazards presented by the volcanic ash (Hillman et al. 2012), which are particularly important if more powerful explosive eruptive activity resumes at the volcano. The Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC //ds.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vaac/data/index.html) of the Japan Meteorological Agency issues advisories when eruptions occur. An advisory on the activity captured in this image was issued less than one hour before the astronaut took the photograph, by which time the plume tail had encountered northeast-trending upper-level winds (image bottom center).

Reference: Hillman, S.E., Horwell, C.J., Densmore, A.L., Damby, D.E., Fubini, B., Ishimine, Y., and Tomatis, M. (2012) Sakurajima volcano: a physico-chemical study of the health consequences of long-term exposure to volcanic ash, Bulletin of Volcanology, 74:913-930 (DOI: 10.1007/s00445-012-0575-3).
 
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Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 277k
Mission: ISS034  
Roll - Frame: E - 27139
Geographical Name: JAPAN  
Features: KYUSHU, SAKURAJIMA VOLCANO, PLUME, KAGOSHIMA BAY, KAGOSHIMA, KIRISHIMA  
Center Lat x Lon: 31.5N x 130.8E
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera: N5
 
Camera Tilt: 39   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 180  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: N   The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number:  
 
Date: 20130110   YYYYMMDD
Time: 054348   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 28.7N  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 131.5E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 218   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 214   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 29   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: CRATER, ISLAND, VOLCANO  
Water Views: BAY  
Atmosphere Views: PLUME  
Man Made Views:  
City Views: KAGOSHIMA  
Photo is not associated with any sequences


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