Posted on 09/28/2004 7:43:01 AM PDT by datura
I was just reading another thread on this subject, when I came to the line stating that the quake intensity and frequency had diminished on Monday. That it complete eyewash - for whom I don't know. Evidently they don't want to scare the masses - just in case. The thread I'm referring to is located here.
Below I'm posting the last three seismographs for you to see that this claim is bogus indeed. This swarm is appearing to grow, with over 1,000 earthquakes so far since Thursday. The depth of the quakes is still near the surface, and they are saying that this could be caused by rain water getting through the lava dome causing steam explosions. I can't comment on that other than we've had little or no rain for some time now. This almost has to be caused by moving magma.
Anyway, here are the charts: This first one is from Monday evening. Note the white spaces you see on this chart:
This second chart covers the first half of today (using GMT time) - White spaces? Nope. (And that isn't wind shaking the equipment.)
Finally, here is the current chart. Note that the jolts are getting taller, and the frequency hasn't diminished.
There's an awful lot between "no eruption" and "the largest possible eruption a given volcano can create." It would be very unlikely to have two 1980 type eruptions from Mt. St. Helens in the space of 25 years. I would doubt in the extreme there would be anything that would happen at Mt. St. Helens causing some sort of large ashfall over the Northwest.
It would be tragic if a mount st. helens event occurs that distracts the voters from the critically important debates that will properly introduce John Kerry to the people the way the hurricanes have obscured the much needed national debate on the Endless War in Iraq (tm).
(actually an eruption would be bad bad bad for WA folks - I'm only teasing)
Yes, I do know what day it is. The notification authorities here have a real tendency to understate what is happening with the volcanoes. It's no tinfoil, merely a fact of life.
My main point about that is they weren't being truthful for Monday either. The charts show no lessening for Monday, in fact they show the magnitude increasing with the frequency remaining fairly constant.
The frequency has definitely picked up now, with not a word from official sources about it. They did happen to cancel the emergency drill for the Rainier system yesterday - but I never heard why.
Where did you hear this, we live about 150 miles away from Mammoth.
Absolutely nothing is going on at the Long Valley Caldera in California. There was a tectonic (non-volcanic) quake swarm some distance away from it a couple weeks ago.
Mauna Loa is showing signs of activity in Hawaii, of course.
There are hundreds of volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
At any given moment probably a dozen or so of these are erupting. But that's true of now, last year, and the last several million years.
Yeah, if this thing blows it may be time to donn the sandwich board signs..."REPENT! THE END IS NIGH!"
Understood, for your sake and for that area I hope that it is small and nothing major. Will keep you guys in my thoughts as the rumbles continue.
From Cascade Volcano Observatory:
Mount St. Helens remains a potentially active and dangerous volcano, even though it is now (1995) quiescent. In the last 515 years, it is known to have produced 4 major explosive eruptions (each with at least 1 cubic kilometer of eruption deposits) and dozens of lesser eruptions. Two of the major eruptions were separated by only 2 years.
Never say never.
As a teacher you should know that all dirt was once volcanic ash. The amount that came from wind and waves is very small.
Kilauea in Hawaii has been erupting for over 20 years; Mauna Loa is showing signs of waking up. Etna (Sicily) is currently erupting, and Piton de la Fournaise (southern Indian Ocean) had a recent, pretty nice, eruption. All of these are well-known active volcanoes. Indonesia always has a few grumblers. Not much else of major note is happening right now.
Where are you datura?
Thanks for the test results. A couple of years ago there was a French team that went around to all of the Cascade volcanoes and climbed into their fumaroles and vent systems to physically take gas samples. I wish I could find some of the photos they took from under the glaciers.
I too doubt that this would be anything like 1980. There's not enough of the mountain left, at least not in height. As long as Mt Rainier stays quiet, I'm happy.
It's global warming.
THAT'S FOR SURE!
And caused Mother-in-law to have to layover extra days past her scheduled end of visit.
Thankfully, we'd parked our car only a block from where we lived to view an open house. And, Wife's hospital job was only a block or so away.
Had been out on skyline drive and saw hoards of cars parked looking at what looked like a big storm brewing to the south and West--mostly West--a long 'cloud' bank. We didn't have our radio on and didn't know until we got to the open house that it was Mt St Helens.
YUP.
Its Stuning Siesmic Beebers with Hugh Pings This could be Series. I hope it doest Blow when im In My Jammies
LOL, did you make that?
I'm 10 miles due west of Eatonville, right on the Pierce/Lewis county line. Weyerhaeuser's Vail Tree Farm is my direct neighbor. The prevailing winds here always come from the south, which would bring the ash here fairly heavy. I didn't live here in 1980, but it collapsed one of the barn roofs on the property back then.
YUP!
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