If You're Nervous... Oregon Volcano Waking Up?

Space.com ^ | 05/13/2002

[cogitator]

Oregon Bulge Hints at Volcano's Reawakening

13 May 2002: A 4-inch bulge spotted by satellite along with other data indicate that an ancient, dormant volcano in Oregon's Cascade Range may be awakening after thousands of sleepy years, according to research that will be presented Wednesday at a meeting of the Geological Society of America. Though no signs point to an imminent eruption of the South Sister volcano, near Bend, geoscientists are watching the mountain more closely. The swelling of the ground proceeds at about 1 inch per year, and researchers have measured the chemistry of the surrounding air and nearby springs, finding small amounts of gas from molten rock. Lava may be welling up from below, based on new satellite-based computer models that will be presented at the meeting.

[cogitator]

Well, I know where I won't be buying a house.

[cmsgop]

Cool! My First Volcano!!!!!!

[El Sordo]

Woo-Hoo!

[KC Burke]

I imagine that the ash fall will kind of put a damper on the big quilt show in Sisters that my wife has always wanted to attend. LOL.

[ken5050]

Wait, they'll find a way to blame this on Microsoft, or Nike...

[onedoug]

STOP PLATE TECTONICS!

[TADSLOS]

A 4-inch bulge spotted by satellite

Is that magma in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

[Inspectorette]

Heck, down here in Southern California, they were worried about the "Palmdale Bulge" for years back in the seventies - Jerry Ford even earmarked $2 million to study it. People were really nervous; so far Palmdale is still there...

[caisson71]

I hear the liberals in Oregon are planning on suing if the volcano erupts. Recent University of Oregon scientific studies indicate that erupting volcanoes contribute to global warming. As soon as they get the address of the responsible party, the Sierra Club will take the lead in the suit and the ACLU will hand deliver the documents. President Bush will be blamed for not spending enough money to stop volcanic eruptions.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I suppose the next thing you know, they'll tell us we can't drill for oil there either... damn...

[Tony in Hawaii]

What about that island in the Canaries that's getting ready to bust in half and cause a tsunami that'll wipe out the entire Eastern Seaboard up to 12 miles inland?

[caisson71]

I suppose.

[r9etb]

Well, I know where I won't be buying a house

I have a personal property interest in this either not happening, or at least going away from the Metolius River. It'd be ugly if it ever happened. My mom used to have a good view of the mountain, and swore that she'd occasionally see a little cloud on the peak on an otherwise clear day.

This is an exceedingly volcanic area. Volcanic peaks all around, and volcanic rock everywhere. To get an idea of the likely results, there's a good-sized lava flow at the top of MacKenzie Pass, which is roughly 15 miles from the South Sister. It extends for many miles.

I've also hiked the "saddle" between the Middle and South Sister -- an exhausting endeavor that involves scrambling in and out of loose cinder-filled venting craters.

According to the geologists, the Three Sisters used to be part of one immense mountain, bigger than Everest, that exploded a long time back.

[r9etb]

I imagine that the ash fall will kind of put a damper on the big quilt show in Sisters that my wife has always wanted to attend.

Considering the geology of the area, lava's probably a better guess.

[goodnesswins]

Boy....am I glad we sold our property in Bend...had a nice view of the "Sisters" though....

[Tennessee_Bob]

If Mother Nature had open source volcanoes, we wouldn't have problems like this.

[Tennessee_Bob]

I'd like to take a moment and invite you to join the Peoples Front To Reunite Gondwanaland. We're a small group, but your comment, "STOP PLATE TECTONICS!" leads me to believe that you'd fit in well.

"Stop the Laurasian Separatist Movement!"

[IncredibleHulk]

Heck, down here in Southern California, they were worried about the "Palmdale Bulge" for years back in the seventies - Jerry Ford even earmarked $2 million to study it. People were really nervous; so far Palmdale is still there...

We're using illegal aliens to hold it down. So far, it's working. On the other hand, the San Andres Fault has been active further north so I'm buying land just south of town so I can have a beach house on the mainland and the peninsula when Kalifornia falls off into the ocean.

[Brad C.]

Ain't it grand how we can spot a little buldge from on high. I would image the data is from the polar orbiters, which fly at an altitude of about 450 miles. Of course, this report is a little unclear about the size of the buldge. I know it can't be four inches square, so that would mean they are actually looking at a surface area of an unknown size that has risen up four inches.