Now that 2011 has come to a close, it is time for me to look back on the year. This, by no means, is an inclusive list of all the activity in 2011. For something close to that, check out the archives of the Smithsonian/USGS Global Volcanism Program. However, this is a look back at many of the volcanic topics we tackled on Eruptions this year. Enjoy!

2011 started with a number of the usual suspects making noise, including Kizimen in Kamchatka, a renewed burst of activity at Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau and explosions at Bromo. By midmonth, we started to see the signs of what was to be a very busy year at Italy’s Etna as small explosions began to occur at the beginning of the month and the 1^st paroxysm of 2011 began on January 13. However, the biggest eruption was from Japan’s Kirishima volcanic complex, where the Shimnoedake crater produced impressive explosive plumes (see above) and produced a small dome as well. The activity at Kirishima continued into the spring. January also brought my examination of Vatnajökull in Iceland (a bit of unintentional foreshadowing for the Grímsvötn eruption later in the year) and I posted the “Volcano webcams of the World” compendium. We also had the first of a long line of media sensationalism over geologic events, this first one on an earthquake swarm at Yellowstone (and somebody let Michio Kaku talk).

Image: Webcam capture of Kirishima in Japan erupting on January 26, 2011.