Kirishima er en vulkansk gruppe på mer enn 20 andesitiske små stratovulkaner.
(Takachihonomine, Nakadake, Ohatayama, Karakunidake, Tairoike, Ohachi, Shinmoedake, osv), og som dekker et område på 20x30 km . Området har utviklet seg på den sydlige kanten av
Kakuto krateret. Det er relativt store kratere som karakteriserer vulkanen. Ebino høylandet er et aktiv geotermisk område. Historiske utbrudd er kjent siden år 742, og har forekommet mer enn 60ganger, hovedsakelig i kraterne til Ohachi og Shinmoedake. Større utbrudd fant sted i årene
788, 1235, 1716-17 og1768. En mindre phreatisk eksplosjon hendte i Shinmoedake i 1991.

January 2011
The Volcano Research Center, University of Tokyo reported that Subplinian and Vulcanian explosions occurred in
the Kirishima Volcano Group in mid-January and at least as late as early February 2011.
The event followed a year of inflation. The eruption occurred at Shinmoe-dake (Shinmoedake) volcano and included
both airfall ash as well as the the birth and rapid growth of a lava dome. Small pyroclastic flows occurred, and
over 1,000 residents evacuated.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the eruption began, with a phreatomagmatic explosion from
Shinmoe-dake on 19 January 2011. It produced a shock wave detected 12 km NE of the volcano, and an ash plume
drifted SE. Ashfall up to 5 mm thick was reported in Miyakonojo (30 km SE) and in Nichinan City (60 km SE).

Another explosion on 22 January 2011 ejected material 200 m above the vent. Based on reports from JMA and
pilot observations, the Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reported that ash plumes rose to altitudes
of 1.8-2.1 km and drifted SE.

A third explosion began at 0731 on 26 January, and Subplinian explosions occurred at 1850 on 26 January, at 1541
on 27 January, and at 1247 on 28 January. Volcanic ash was emitted continuously until 30 January, when lava
covered the crater floor.

The heights of the three major explosions during 26-28 January, confirmed with Doppler radar by JMA, were up to
8.5 km above the crater. Ashfall deposits were found ~17 cm thick at a distance of ~3 km SW of the crater,
and ~8 cm thick at a distance of ~6 km from the crater.


Volcanic eruption Kirishima's Shinmoedake Feb-4-2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k58dg9Utaf8&feature=related

On the night of 31 January, 1,158 people who lived in the Takaharu Town, ~12 km W of the crater and subject to
potential pyroclastic flows, were ordered to evacuate due to a possibility of a Plinian explosion. As of 5 February,
73 people who lived less than 8 km from the crater were still in the process of evacuating.

A Vulcanian explosion started on 1 February 2011, destroying part of the dome. Volcanic ash rose about 7 km
above the crater, according to JMA. Large ballistics 0.7 m in diameter landed 3.2 km W of the crater.
Authorities established a zone of limited access within 4 km the crater. During subsequent Vulcanian explosions,
the dome stopped growing. Its morphology flattened, and it became covered with its own ejecta.
Mainly from Monthly reports from Smithsonian Institution

26.oktober 2001
Arbeidere som foretok test-boringer for en mulig oppføring av et geotermisk elektrisitetsverk,
ble forgiftet av vulkanske gasser under boring. 7 av dem blir behandlet på hospitaler i nærheten,
to av dem nærmest bevistløse, men ingen livstruende skadd.

Arbeidet fant sted bare 2-3 kilometer øst for Ogiri El-verket, som også går på termisk energi.
Området rundt Kirishima har flere varme kilder. I mars, 1989, døde to andre mennesker
av den samme vulkanske gassen, sansynligvis fra en av varmekildene.

15.november 1999
JMA melder om økt aktivitet fra Kirishima igjen, for første gang siden 27. august 1995.
Antall jordskjelv pr dag siden 5 november er som følger:
5 Nov. = 0
6 Nov. =12
7 Nov. = 16
8 Nov. = 40
9 Nov. = 81
10 Nov. =192
11 Nov. = 128
12 Nov. = 69
13 Nov. = 86
14 Nov. = 11
15 Nov. = 31