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pharflung
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:39 am Post subject: Alaska volcano could have a "major eruption" |
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It looks like things are pretty active on Planet Earth lately: A cat 5 hurricane, an 8.0 earthquake and two active volcanoes.
Did I miss anything?
There are enough dormant volcanoes that having two relatively minor eruptions at the same time is not surprising. Nor is an 8 earthquake.
But it is worth noting.
| Quote: |
Pavlof Volcano keeps shaking, spewing lava, eruption possible
CLOSE WATCH: One seismologist says it could be in for a major eruption.
The Associated Press
Published: August 21, 2007
Last Modified: August 21, 2007 at 01:37 AM
Pavlof Volcano on the Aleutian arc of fire continued to vigorously erupt lava Monday, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported.
A steady stream of earthquakes and flowing lava continued throughout the day at one of Alaska's most active volcanoes, located about 600 miles southwest of Anchorage.
"The activity's been continuing at pretty much the same level it's been at," volcano seismologist Steve McNutt said late Monday.
A team of scientists visited Pavlof over the weekend to observe it and to install several new instruments, including a low-frequency pressure sensor and a Web camera. The camera is not yet online, but McNutt said it could be up and running in about two days.
The team was expected to return Monday evening.
McNutt said he thinks the volcano could be in for a major eruption.
In the past, Pavlof has maintained low-level eruptions for several months, broken up by a few large-scale, explosive eruptions.
Scientists said the primary hazard this time is airborne ash, which could disrupt air traffic in the event of a major explosion. So far, ash from the volcano has stayed below 15,000 feet above sea level, the observatory reported.
When Pavlof erupted in 1996, the ash cloud reached up to 30,000 feet above sea level, and in 1986 it reached up to 49,000 feet.
The observatory is maintaining aviation code "orange" and volcanic activity alert level "watch."
The eruption continues to be monitored by satellite and seismograph, and one group of observatory scientists is on the ground. |
http://www.adn.com/news/environment/story/9238749p-9154268c.html
There is also a volcano in action in Indonesia:
| Quote: |
Erupting Indonesian volcano threatens more villages
Tue Aug 21, 2007
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Lava and hot gas clouds from a volcano in eastern Indonesia are threatening more villages, officials said on Tuesday.
Saut Simatupang, the head of Indonesia's Vulcanology Survey, said that lava had already spread more than 1.5 km down Mount Karangetang's western and south-eastern slopes, where more than a dozen villages are located.
The volcano, on the diving resort island of Siau off Sulawesi and 2,325 km northeast of the capital Jakarta, is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes.
"We've recorded volcanic tremors that indicates more lava will climb to the crater's surface," Simatupang said by telephone from his office in the city of Bandung.
"At least four more villages on the western slope are at risk of being swallowed by lava."
District chief Idrus Mokodompit said another hundred people have left their homes to join nearly 600 people who have already sought refuge in the nearest town.
"The villagers are not allowed to return to their homes until the government lowers the volcano's alert status," Mokodompit said by telephone.
The alert status on the 1,827 metre volcano was raised to maximum at the weekend after hot clouds started moving eastwards, posing a threat to hundreds of people.
Another volcano 175 km south of Mount Karangetang has also been spewing ash and sending debris down its slopes.
But Mount Soputan, which lies on the northern tip of the Sulawesi island, is not yet seen as a threat to nearby villages.
Indonesia has the highest number of active volcanoes of any country, sitting on a belt of intense volcanic and seismic activity known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire". |
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKJAK17603320070821?pageNumber=2 |
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keane
Joined: 09 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:50 am Post subject: Re: Alaska volcano could have a "major eruption" |
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| pharflung wrote: |
It looks like things are pretty active on Planet Earth lately: A cat 5 hurricane, an 8.0 earthquake and two active volcanoes.
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To be fair, there are always dozens, if not hundreds, of volcanoes active around the world. The recent big EQs and volcanic activity are almost certainly related, but we know far too little about it to substantiate this. Research has progressed in the last decade to the point that seismologists no longer doubt there are linkages between geological incidents both over time and over distance, but categorically connecting the dots between any two events is still guesswork. |
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