Earthquakes At Mount St. Helens Collapse Dome 3.3 Earthquake Rumbles Below Mt. St. Helens

StanDeyo.com ^ | 08-01-05, 08-02-05 | Bernard Choi/King 5 news/Daily News WA

[Salvation]

Earthquakes At Mount St. Helens Collapse Dome

August 1, 2005
By BERNARD CHOI / KING 5 News

MOUNT ST. HELENS, Wash. - The rumblings at Mount St. Helens have been so strong, the lava dome has collapsed. Scientists are trying to figure out what's behind the recent string of stronger-than-normal quakes at the volcano.

In the last 24 hours, the seismograph has recorded three earthquakes with a magnitude at or near 3.0, and these quakes are shaking things up inside the crater. St. Helens is at it again, shaking and rattling and sending the seismograph needle into overdrive.

Compare a printout of the mountain at rest and of St. Helens in the last several weeks, and you'll notice a striking difference. "At least one 3.0 magnitude quake everyday." What do these rumbles mean? Are they a preview to the next big one? Experts are not sure.

They do know the quakes are shaping and reshaping the mountain, specifically the lava dome in the heart of the crater. Each time the dome protrudes out to a certain size, a quake comes along and the dome collapses, making way for another dome to grow.

"Now, anytime during this process, it's possible to get an actual explosion." And this is a process of the mountain slowly rebuilding itself. Each dome fills up the crater some more, and the mountain is showing no signs of slowing down.

"It's gone on longer than I thought it would. I thought it would have stopped this last spring." This mountain-rebuilding process usually happens in spurts. After all, it stopped in 1986 and didn't start up again until last fall.

At this rate, experts say the lava dome would refill the crater in two or three decades. Park rangers at Mount St. Helens say contrary to rumors, the Johnston Ridge Observatory is still open despite the recent earthquakes.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_080105WABsthelenslavadomeEE.30da1785.html

Before Collapse on July 26, 2005

After Collapse on July 29, 2005

3.3 Earthquake Rumbles Below Mt. St. Helens

August 2, 2005
The Daily News, Washington

VANCOUVER -- A 3.3-magnitude earthquake trembled beneath Mount St. Helens early Sunday morning, the latest in a series of stronger than usual quakes at the volcano.

The quake at 2:34 a.m. likely triggered the overnight collapse of large section of rock at the north end of the growing lava dome, U.S. Geological Survey scientists reported Sunday from the Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Much of the smooth surface of the ridge, which is created as rock extrudes from the vent, has now been removed by rockfalls over the past few weeks.

After years of quiet, the mountain rumbled awake last September, and in October a flow of molten rock reached the surface, marking a renewal of domebuilding activity that had stoppped in 1986.

A deadly eruption in 1980 killed 57 people and sent a river of hot mud and ash down the Toutle River Valley.

USGS and the University of Washington continue to monitor the mountain.

Scientists say a more explosive eruption, possibly dropping ash within a 10-mile radius of the crater, is possible at any time.

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2005/08/01/area_news/news03.txt

[dljordan]

" I suggest the junior Senator from New York."

I'm thinking this will require multiple sacrifices to placate the volcano gods.

[NathanR]

In 1978 I moved back to California from the Tri Cities, which was somewhat downwind of the plume. In doing that I missed two things: The eruption, and a total eclipse of the sun. :-(

[mountn man]

Yeah, right. Like you're really gonna be able to get Kennedy's fat a$$ down in that volcano.

Not that there is much difference between Teddy's a$$ and Hillary's.

Heck Hillary's thighs are large enough to plug up that thing.

[RetiredArmy]

That is a small quake, 3.3. Now if you want a big one, you should have been here on the 34th floor of our building in downtown Sodom on the Sound (Seattle) a couple of years ago when we had the 6.9 rock our world. Now that was moving and shaking!!!!!!!!!

[RetiredArmy]

The great NW is no longer great. It has been occupied by the leftist/communists/islomics/liberals/homosexuals of the world. That is about as much barf as we can stand.

[A CA Guy]

We could send Kennedy. His butt could cork it shut for sure.

[Bean Counter]

"It sounds like Mt. Saint Helens is doing what volcanos do."

Exactly right. The mountain has been in continuous eruption since last October. If there was any danger, Johnson's Ridge vistor center would not be open.

St. Helens makes for an excellent daytrip from the Portland area.

[Siobhan]

There has been a marked increase in activity along the New Madrid.

[cmsgop]

Ping

[oceanperch]

Lol The FR LAVA LAMP Returns!

[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump

[djf]

Expect increased activity in coming weeks on Mt. St. Helens

I watch the seismo data everyday, and in the last wo minths or so the quake activity has been quite low, and almost always right near the surface.

But for the last week, there has been alot more quakes 1.5 - 3 at a depth of about 2 KM.

This is exactly the activity it was showing before it started the current activity. For about 6 months prior to last fall's eruptions, it was having daily quakes at that depth.

The fat lady is clearing her throat getting ready to sing...

[SALChamps03]

Scientists are trying to figure out what's behind the recent string of stronger-than-normal quakes at the volcano.

Hmmmmm. Seismic activity underground??

[Palladin]

KA-BOOM! It's coming!

[Cate]

yikes.... thanks for the info. Our family toured the area around Mt. St. Helens after the last eruption. It is incredible about how much damage an area can have and yet, we saw little plants beginning to grow. Its witnessing a small miracle in my eyes :)

[Myrddin]

After a quick edit/crop of the "after" picture, you can more easily compare the before/after in the same context. The "after" shot is on the left.