Posted on 10/07/2004 1:04:20 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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 Mount St. Helens' Crater Floor Rising
By GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer MOUNT ST. HELENS, Wash. - Part of Mount St. Helens' crater floor has risen 50 to 100 feet since Tuesday while earthquake rates have been low, signs that magma is moving upward without much resistance, scientists said Thursday.
"The skids are greased," Jake Lowenstern, a U.S. Geological Survey (news - web sites) volcanologist, said at a news conference at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Wash.
With the latest rising, an area of the crater floor just south of the nearly 1,000-foot lava dome has risen about 250 feet since the mountain began stirring two weeks ago, Lowenstern said.
There's no way to tell when magma might reach the surface, he said.
On Wednesday, scientists lowered the alert level for the southwest Washington volcano, saying earthquake activity was down to the lowest level since before the mountain started venting steam last week.
U.S. Geological Survey scientists downgraded the "volcano alert" to a "volcano advisory," indicating the probability of an eruption that could endanger lives and property had decreased significantly since Saturday, when thousands of people were evacuated from the mountain.
Despite the new detail Thursday on the magma movement, scientists said there was no reason to raise the alert level back up.
Larry Mastin, a USGS (news - web sites) expert in the physics of volcano eruptions, said that while there's an outside chance an eruption could send a plume of ash 15 miles into the air or higher, there is no indication that any eruption is imminent or that it would threaten lives or property.
Earthquake activity remained relatively low Thursday, with about one magnitude 1 quake a minute. The volcano was occasionally venting steam as water trickled down and hit hot rocks, Lowenstern said.
Scientists planned to make another flight over the volcano's crater Thursday to sample gas emissions and take thermal images, and to continue preparing instruments on the mountain for the winter.
A brief break in the clouds late Wednesday gave visitors a peek at weak steam emissions in the volcano's crater.
On Tuesday, under sunny skies, a spectacular cloud of steam and old ash rose thousands of feet above the 8,364-foot peak and a light dusting of gritty ash fell on some areas northeast of the mountain. It was the largest of a series of emissions of steam and ash since Friday.
Geologists continued to emphasize that there is little chance of anything similar to the blast that blew 1,300 feet off the top of the peak in May 1980, killing 57 people and paralyzing much of the inland Pacific Northwest with gritty volcanic ash.
Before then, Mount St. Helens had been silent since the 19th century.
The U.S. Forest Service reiterated Thursday that closures around the volcano — including the Johnston Ridge observatory five miles north of the crater — would remain in effect until authorities determine the area is safe.
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On the Net:
U.S. Geological Survey regional site: http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Cascades/CurrentActivity/
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Unnngh..
Seems like there might be a term of extended lava flow from the mountain, and less likely of an explosion. This is probably a good thing.
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Famous last words...
That data is a couple of days old, before they lowered the threat level. It has now risen over 150 ft, but an eruption is not currently imminent.
I'm sitting on the opposite coast in VA Beach and that statement just turns my stomach. Gah. They CAN'T TELL? Not even an educated guess?
A friend just sent me this.......
Will Mt. St. Helens Ash Flush Out Some Big News About Bigfoot?
POCATELLO, Idaho (Wireless Flash) -- There may be a bright side to all the ash spewing from Mount St. Helens: It could help Bigfoot researchers prove that the hairy creature exists.
According to University of Idaho anatomy and anthropology professor Jeff Meldrum -- who also investigates Bigfoot -- the volcanic ash could coat the ground in Bigfoot's Pacific Northwest habitat well enough to yield some superior footprints.
He says most of the ground in the area isn't soft enough to take a footprint, but a blanket of ash could provide a good medium.
Meldrum owns more than 150 casts of mysterious ground tracks that fall somewhere between human feet and primate feet and says his study of them has convinced him that Sasquatch are real.
However, he admits that it will take more than just a few good footprints to prove to the public that, quote, "there's a giant primate out there in the woods" -- which is why he's also developing hair traps to collect DNA from the creature.
BTTT
Another Mount St. Helens' explosion would pale in comparison to the 1980 one, when the mountaintop literally blew its top. IMO scientists and gov't bureaucrats are hyping this event just to justify more taxpayer pork.
They won't be able to prove it this time around. Ape Cave is currently closed - so I think that means that all of the Bigfoot residents of Ape Cave got evacuated in the middle of the night by the government, and are currently at an "undisclosed location" making campaign ads for John Kerry.
Hmmmm... I don't think I'd setting up a barn dance in that crater any time soon.
Other than that, it's just so awesome cool to watch this thing. ESPECIALLY if no one gets hurt!
Hmmmm... I don't think I'd setting up a barn dance in that crater any time soon.
Other than that, it's just so awesome cool to watch this thing. ESPECIALLY if no one gets hurt!
1980 took a third of the mountain off. A couple of more and we won't have to worry much about eruptions.
I live within seeing distance of Mt. Hood, and St. Helens. I thought something was going on this morning on my way into Vancouver, because the mountain area was totally covered with black clouds as it was two days ago when it caughed up steam and some dust. The clouds went north toward the center of Washington. St. Helens hiccups and belches and has opened up a couple more steam holes, but the press just is dying to be important, so they will add on anything they think the rest of the country will swallow!! The danger level was dropped yesterday, but apparently it is back up again today. Weather has been beautiful and clear here so it is all easy to witness.
LOL!
I love Gir!
That would be a treat to be able to see it.....as long as it is not too spectacular.
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