Shinmoedake
Encyclopedia
Shinmoedake is a volcano
in Kagoshima Prefecture
, Kyūshū
, Japan
, and a part of the Mount Kirishima
cluster of volcanoes. It is believed to have formed between 7,300 and 25,000 years ago.
Eruptions from Shinmoedake were recorded in 1716, 1717, 1771, 1822, 1959, 1991, 2008, 2009, and 2011.
Shinmoedake is also notable for having been used as a location in the 1967 James Bond
film, You Only Live Twice
, as the volcano in which the villains' secret rocket base is located.
On 1 February, an even larger eruption sent smoke up to 2.5 km in the air and threw volcanic bomb
s up to 1.5 km.
During February 2011, a lava dome formed in Shinmoedake's crater. On February 17, an evacuation advisory was put in place for the Miyakonojo area for 2,500 people after heavy rains threatened to produce lahar
s, and at least 63 people evacuated.
On 13 March, two days after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
, the volcano once again erupted. The eruption forced the evacuation of several hundred residents.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and a part of the Mount Kirishima
Mount Kirishima
is a 1700 meter high active volcano group in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Numerous eruptions have been recorded since 742. Very strong eruptions happened in 788, 1716 and 1717. Augite-hypersthene andesite is the dominant rock type....
cluster of volcanoes. It is believed to have formed between 7,300 and 25,000 years ago.
Eruptions from Shinmoedake were recorded in 1716, 1717, 1771, 1822, 1959, 1991, 2008, 2009, and 2011.
Shinmoedake is also notable for having been used as a location in the 1967 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
, as the volcano in which the villains' secret rocket base is located.
2011 eruptions
The 2011 eruptions began on 19 January. On 26 January, at 7:30 AM, increased eruption activity spewed ash over the surrounding area. The ash closed four railroad lines, and some airline service was cancelled due to heavy ash in the air. It was the largest eruption from Shinmoedake since 1959. On 27 January, the volcano alert level was raised to 3.On 1 February, an even larger eruption sent smoke up to 2.5 km in the air and threw volcanic bomb
Volcanic bomb
A volcanic bomb is a mass of molten rock larger than 65 mm in diameter, formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an eruption. They cool into solid fragments before they reach the ground. Because volcanic bombs cool after they leave the volcano, they do not have grains...
s up to 1.5 km.
During February 2011, a lava dome formed in Shinmoedake's crater. On February 17, an evacuation advisory was put in place for the Miyakonojo area for 2,500 people after heavy rains threatened to produce lahar
Lahar
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. The term is a shortened version of "berlahar" which originated in the Javanese language of...
s, and at least 63 people evacuated.
On 13 March, two days after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
, the volcano once again erupted. The eruption forced the evacuation of several hundred residents.