Volcano experts seek emergency alert system [in USA]

Washington Post ^ | 05/09/2005 | Rick Weiss

[cogitator]

Imagine living in a country where three volcanoes are erupting at the same time, two others could blow in the very near future and 169 others are capable of awakening -- including scores deemed worthy of constant monitoring.

Imagine living in a place where, in the past 25 years alone, communities have been wiped out by lava flows; eruptions have flattened huge expanses of land and killed people miles away; and avalanches of volcanic debris have swept people to their deaths.

If you live in America, you live in such a country.

. . .

For about $15 million, the most hazardous volcanoes could be wired up into a National Volcano Early Warning System, consisting of sensors that feed into the nation's five volcano observatories, according to the USGS.

[cogitator]

This article took a fairly common-sense approach to the report. If you search Google News, a lot of the headlines say "Yellowstone eruption threat rated high", which is a pretty yellow-journalism headline. Because of what it is, Yellowstone will always be a significant eruption threat, but there's a big difference between that phrase and calling it an imminent threat or a dangerous threat. Yellowstone will be a significant eruption threat for the next 5,000 years and may not erupt at all in that time period. Or it could have an immense eruption. Based on what's happening there right now, there's no way to know.

But it sure would be cool for someone to get a full-length video of a Steamboat Geyser eruption.

[mgc1122]

Why do I think someone at the WaPo has been watching the Discovery Channel? LOL!

[theDentist]

Another budget increase sought.

Considering the 'net (with all it's websites, blogs, news outlets, and TV, and Radio, is there any spot in the US that wouldn't be informed of a possible eruption 10 minutes after it was announced??? Look how quickly people were made aware when St. Helens blew off some steam just a month or so ago.

[cogitator]

Well, the WaPo downplayed the Yellowstone threat that was played up by a lot of other papers and Web sites (like MSNBC).

[cogitator]

Considering the 'net (with all it's websites, blogs, news outlets, and TV, and Radio, is there any spot in the US that wouldn't be informed of a possible eruption 10 minutes after it was announced???

That's not the point of the system. The system would wire up volcanoes to provide better monitoring of precursor activity. If there is better precursor monitoring, they could advise aircraft to change their flight routes so that they don't fly into an ash cloud --- when a volcano erupts, the ash cloud can get to 30,000 feet a lot quicker than 10 minutes.

[ARCADIA]

when a volcano erupts, the ash cloud can get to 30,000 feet a lot quicker than 10 minutes.

...Or, you could just change the flight route now, to take them away from potential eruptions. But, I guess that wouldn't be anywjere near as much fun.

[Strategerist]

Or, you could just change the flight route now, to take them away from potential eruptions

Totally unworkable. The entire Pacific Northwest, Northern California, and Alaska is a "potential eruption area" and upper level winds are VERY fast and VERY variable, blowing in every conceivable compass direction. You'd have to ban air travel over a quarter of the country.

[Strategerist]

Well, the WaPo downplayed the Yellowstone threat that was played up by a lot of other papers and Web sites (like MSNBC).

Yep, kudos to the Washington Post; the other articles on it were simply an embarassment.

I've read the actual report and in no way, shape, or form is Yellowstone remotely highlighted.

There are no less than EIGHTEEN volcanoes listed with a HIGHER threat (Very High Threat Level) than Yellowstone (Alaska - Akutan, Augustine, Makushin, Redoubt, Spurr; California - Lassen, Long Valley Caldera, Shasta; Hawaii - Kilauea, Mauna Loa; Oregon -Crater Lake, Hood, Newberry, South Sister; Washington - Baker, Glacier Peak, Rainier, St. Helens) and 37 volcanoes listed with the same (High Threat Level) threat as Yellowstone.

[mdefranc]

"Another budget increase sought." - theDentist

My guess is that more volcano monitoring would be a net economic benefit, but, to make sure of that, it should be up to the states and the airlines affected to pay for the expanded network.

[PeterFinn]

I remember the threat of a volcano in downtown LA. Tommy Lee Jones did a good job diverting the lava flow into the LA river.

Oh, that was fiction, wasn't it?

Just like global warming and just like this new 'threat'.

Oh, please. Volcanoes have been around for a long time and if you live near one you should figure out that you need to pay attention. I live in a flood zone and I pay attention. Same thing.

[cogitator]

if you live near one you should figure out that you need to pay attention.

Yes, that's the point. Geological "weather" occurs underground. If you live in a flood zone, then the meteorologists can tell you with advance warning if conditions are good for a damaging flood, but the citizen ultimately decides what steps to take. (Not necessarily a flash flood, but "normal" floods requires a few days to weeks of heavy rain, plus high watershed conditions, etc.).

What the proposal is asking for is a similar ability for geologists/volcanologists.