Very powerful eruption of Sarychev Peak volcano (Matua Isl., the Central Kuriles) in June 2009 is examined in the paper. Nature of the eruption and its catastrophic impact on the island ecosystem (using vegetation as an example) are described based on remote sensing data (photos from the space) and ground observations, carried out in summer of 2009.

This paper contains a first brief description for two lava flows from the 12-15 June, 2009 catastrophic eruption produced by Sarychev Peak, Matua Island, the Central Kuriles. Previously this eruption was considered to be explosive. The flows from the eruption are about 2.4 and 2.7 km long and 100 to 150 m wide, in some places they are as wide as 350 m. The flows occupy the territory of 0.8 km2 with lava volume of 10 million km3. They travelled along sector grabens simultaneously with pyroclastic flows burning elder woods and mountain meadows and were partially overlapped by pyroclastics.

Tephrochronologic studies conducted in the Levaya Avacha River valley helped determine the true age of the Veer cinder cone, which formed approximately in 470 AD (1600 14C BP). These data refute the existing idea that it was generated in 1856. The monogenetic Veer cone should be cancelled from the catalogs of historical eruptions and active volcanoes in Kamchatka. The eruption of this cone was a reflection of the all-Kamchatkan increase in the activity of endogenous processes that occurred in 0–650 AD.

The article provides data on explosive eruption from January 29 to June 18, 2009 produced by Ebeko Volcano, Paramushir Island. The eruption was produced from Activnaya funnel in Northern crater. The volcano was continuously sending gas-ash cloud to an altitude of 300 to 1000 m above the crater interrupted by sporadic increase in amount of ash inside the jet and increase in its yield. The volcano produced 3 to 15 events per day sending the columns to an altitude of 500 m to 3.7 km. Ebeko produced phreatic event erupting resurgent ash. Total volume of the erupted materials comprised about 19 thousand of tons. The event was preceded by alteration in chemical composition of fumarole gas and considerable increase in its yield caused by a new fumarole field.

Приводятся сведения о слабом фреатическом извержении вулкана Эбеко на о. Парамушир, которое длилось с 29 января по 18 июня 2009 г. Центр извержения находился в Активной воронке Северного кратера. Изверженные продукты представлены резургентными пеплами. Дана оценка состояния вулкана после извержения на основе данных о мощности тепловой разгрузки, составе и температуре фумарольных газов

The preliminary results of surface expedition "Peak Sarychev Volcano-2010" in the islands Raikoke, Matua, Ekarma are shown. The estimation of modern state of active volcanoes on these islands is given. New data on history of the eruptive activity of the Peak Sarychev Volcano are cited.

Поводом к написанию публикуемой статьи послужили первые результаты полевого исследования последствий эксплозивного извержения вулкана Пик Сарычева на острове Матуа и сопутствующих ему явлений. Сотрудникам Дальневосточного отделения РАН удалось оперативно отреагировать на уникальное природное явление, изучив его в прямом смысле по горячим следам.