Mt REDOUBT, Alaska, about to BLOW

[scandi]

Another great shot:

http://www.examiner.com/x-504-Space-News-Examiner~y2009m2d4-Alaska-Volcanoes-the-view-from-above

Snippet
"Alaska contains more than 130 volcanoes and volcanic fields, most of which are now inactive. Since 1760, 27 Alaskan volcanoes have had more than 230 confirmed eruptions, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

This averages to nearly one eruption per year. If we add in those volcanoes and eruptions that are suspected but unconfirmed (and often, unconfirmable), then we have 54 volcanoes with about 424 possible eruptions, yielding an average of 1.7 eruptions per year.

Currently, three are defined as in the "restless" stage--hinting at possible eruptions. They include Mount Redoubt, Cleveland, and Shishaldin.

In 2006, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed the Cleveland volcano, shown above, and reported the first signs of a new eruption, according to NASA's Earth Observatory . . . . . " more @ link

 

[raisincharlie]

Scandi,

Typically one wouldn't think much about Alaska and volcanoes, the two almost seem foreign to one another. It has been a good experience to learn about all this going on up in the north woods.

 

[raisincharlie]

Wow - Redoubt RSO monitoring station has gone plumb ugly starting at 1106 AKST time:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/webicorder.php?volcname=Redoubt&station=34

Latest from AVO-

Unrest at Redoubt Volcano continues. Seismic activity remains elevated well above background levels. Starting at 11:18 AKST (20:18 UTC), a burst of more intense seismic tremor occurred. This episode lasted for about 4 minutes and was the most most energetic since January 30. Radar and pilot observations confirm our analysis that no eruption occurred. Web camera and satellite images from this morning have been obscured by clouds.

 

[Kat]

That's scary.

 

[raisincharlie]

It got worse - a 30 minute high energy burst about 3 hours ago - that is definitiely a long time for a sustained tremor. AVO reports that Mount Redoubt did not erupt however but they are monitoring it more closely now.

Check out this ugly :

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/webicorder.php?volcname=Redoubt&station=34

 

[scandi]

Hi Charlie and All,

Man O' Live, as Dr John would say! It looks like something different is happening up on the mountain.

The main photo of Redoubt looks like a dark cloud right in the caldron with clouds up above it. And the seismic chart has one whold bar across of a thick blue line that I have not seen before.

Before St Helen's blew we would see her spew ash, but we haven't seen that yet with Redoubt. Maybe it is a precursor to the imminent eruption!


xox

It is the webcam for the Hut that shows that photo right now. Since I starterd writing this post they have darkened that line to dark blue and it seems fatter but constant. Many simultaneous RUMBLINGS and SHAKINGS from our Redoubt gurl. LOLOLOL My link wwon't post, so you have to look at Charlie's in the post above mine. Sorry!

 

[Elphaba]

Sounds like Redoubt is getting ready... *nods*

 

[scandi]

Sounds like Redoubt is getting ready... *nods*

Hi Elphaba, It seems like a kettle drum roll doesn't it? LOL It is just so different, and I have no idea on how to interpret the seismograph. It is in different time for one thing - UTC, whatever that is.

I'll certainly be keeping an eye out every hour or so. YaYa

 

[Elphaba]

Hi Elphaba, It seems like a kettle drum roll doesn't it? LOL It is just so different, and I have no idea on how to interpret the seismograph. It is in different time for one thing - UTC, whatever that is.

I'll certainly be keeping an eye out every hour or so. YaYa

Scientist exist in UTC/GMT time LoL... it's world time that was initially set from the standard time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Take for instance, when I am doing planetary studies I capture images at local time and then report them in UTC/GMT. If it is 8:30 pm (20:30) here, I report it as UTC time which, would be 01:30.

Of course it is far more complex than how I am explaining it... but just know, the times you see are just universal time. LoL

 

[raisincharlie]

Hi Elphaba, It seems like a kettle drum roll doesn't it? LOL It is just so different, and I have no idea on how to interpret the seismograph. It is in different time for one thing - UTC, whatever that is.

I'll certainly be keeping an eye out every hour or so. YaYa

Scandi - the RSAM chart might help you more than staring at the webicorders. The RSAM shows the "trend" of the activity. Much easier to see what is going on. Here's a link for you. Since you are in PST - AKST is one hour behind you. So for the times you see on the webicorders - subtract 9 hours and you will have the Alaska local time for the webicorder.

Hope this helps - it just makes it clearer what is going on on the mountain I think:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/rsam/rsam.php?volcname=Redoubt

 

[scandi]

Scandi - the RSAM chart might help you more than staring at the webicorders. The RSAM shows the "trend" of the activity. Much easier to see what is going on. Here's a link for you. Since you are in PST - AKST is one hour behind you. So for the times you see on the webicorders - subtract 9 hours and you will have the Alaska local time for the webicorder.

Hope this helps - it just makes it clearer what is going on on the mountain I think:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/rsam/rsam.php?volcname=Redoubt

Thanks Charlie, I be a studyin' Quite a thick blue line showing, which would be at 1:30pm on the chart. It almost fills up all the space between those lines. Since it started this continual thicker line, it has been quite constant. xox

 

[raisincharlie]

From AVO this morning:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

2009-02-07 04:39:00

Seismic unrest continues at Redoubt. As noted in the last few updates the activity at the volcano is currently dominated by volcanic tremor that waxes and wanes with time.

The web camera is now dark for the night.

The volcano has not erupted and AVO continues to watch the volcano 24/7.


Note the following definitions:

volcanic tremorContinuous seismic signal with regular or irregular sine wave appearance and low frequencies (0.5-5 Hz). Harmonic tremor has a very uniform appearance, whereas spasmodic tremor is pulsating and consists of higher frequencies with a more irregular appearance.




harmonic tremorA continuous release of seismic energy typically associated with the underground movement of magma. It contrasts distinctly with the sudden release and rapid decrease of seismic energy associated with the more common type of earthquake caused by slippage along a fault.

 

[scandi]

From AVO this morning:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

2009-02-07 04:39:00

Seismic unrest continues at Redoubt. As noted in the last few updates the activity at the volcano is currently dominated by volcanic tremor that waxes and wanes with time.

The web camera is now dark for the night.

The volcano has not erupted and AVO continues to watch the volcano 24/7.


Note the following definitions:

volcanic tremorContinuous seismic signal with regular or irregular sine wave appearance and low frequencies (0.5-5 Hz). Harmonic tremor has a very uniform appearance, whereas spasmodic tremor is pulsating and consists of higher frequencies with a more irregular appearance.




harmonic tremorA continuous release of seismic energy typically associated with the underground movement of magma. It contrasts distinctly with the sudden release and rapid decrease of seismic energy associated with the more common type of earthquake caused by slippage along a fault.

Hi Charlie, That was really interesting. Since we're waiting, I looked up the seismicity chart for St Helen's when she blew as I thought it would be good to see. I can't post the illustration, but here is a link. It shows a harmonic tremor in action as it blows!


http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Seismicity/Graphics/msh_seismogram_05-18-80.html

 

[raisincharlie]

Hi Charlie, That was really interesting. Since we're waiting, I looked up the seismicity chart for St Helen's when she blew as I thought it would be good to see. I can't post the illustration, but here is a link. It shows a harmonic tremor in action as it blows!


http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Seismicity/Graphics/msh_seismogram_05-18-80.html

Thanks for the link Scandi - very interesting. I've been doing a lot of looking at other charts as well since this came up. Some very interesting signatures to these volcanoes - lots of power too ! Has been a learning experience - no volcanoes in my neck of the woods... :crazy:

 

[snowshuze]

Thanks for the link Scandi - very interesting. I've been doing a lot of looking at other charts as well since this came up. Some very interesting signatures to these volcanoes - lots of power too ! Has been a learning experience - no volcanoes in my neck of the woods... :crazy:

Hush up, you. The tornadoes are bad enuff.


:blowkiss:



Brand new tremor in Alaska:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/

 

[scandi]

Good Morning, FOX News says she's still looking like she is going to erupt. I notice in the Webcam shot today the plume is very dark and to me that means it is more than just steam! IMO only. Here is an interesting photo of her taken yesterday, seemingly sandwiched between layers of clouds:

Today's Webcam shot:

 

[scandi]

Hi, I kind of feel silly, but SOMETHING IS RADICALLY CHANGING WITH THE MTN

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/avo/webicorders/RDN24hr_heli.png

A whole different pattern of seismic action has been going on for several hours now. The RSAM Chart is very lively too in a certain way, just spiked up suddenly as this mass of earthquake tremmors hit. I kinda hope she can hold out till morning so we can watch it happen. It is black as can be right now as night has fallen up Alaska way.

XOX

I think she is about ready to BLOW !:dance::dance::dance:



Oops! I blew the margins.
I'll PM the Mod on duty. Maybe she can adjust the link.
If not I'll remove it.

Pretty Exciting.

 

[scandi]

Here we are a day later and she hasn't erupted.

I do find it interesting tho how her seismic activity, shown on the webicorder, is into some pattern of markings that of course I can't interpret. In their differences they seem to be somewhat regular now, changing every couple of hours or so and repeating. One can almost tell what pattern will repeat itself next. What they mean is ??, but I'm wondering if they are harmonic in nature and a prelude to magma rising up to the surface.

The RHAM chart is also interesting as it seems to repeat itself in a way as well.

I want to find out more about those red lines they draw. What is a calibration pulse? Hmmmm

In other words HELP

 

[raisincharlie]

Here we are a day later and she hasn't erupted.

I do find it interesting tho how her seismic activity, shown on the webicorder, is into some pattern of markings that of course I can't interpret. In their differences they seem to be somewhat regular now, changing every couple of hours or so and repeating. One can almost tell what pattern will repeat itself next. What they mean is ??, but I'm wondering if they are harmonic in nature and a prelude to magma rising up to the surface.

The RHAM chart is also interesting as it seems to repeat itself in a way as well.

I want to find out more about those red lines they draw. What is a calibration pulse? Hmmmm

In other words HELP

Scandi.

Of course being question boy I sent a question or two to AVO at their contact address. The red lines -could be two different things. It has been explained to me that the equipment is calibrated 2 times per day - where you see thick red lines - those are calibration pulses. Where you see what appears to be a single red swipe - those are "clipped" signals. In other words, the signal exceeded the calibration range and the scale on the seismograph. Hope that helps.


The RSAM is very interesting as it shows the trend of the mountain. Doing a bit more questioning I learned that volcanic tremor is primarily caused by the movement of magma or gasses through passageways or fissures within the rock of the mountain - the tremor is basically a constant shaking or vibration of the fissures and can be distinguished from earth quake activity based on the frequency in hertz. Tremor gives of a low frequenct signature where as earth quakes have a higher frequency signature in hertz. Very interesting stuff. The frequencies are recorded to a SSAM chart which shows colors related to frequency. Very interesting as the tremors are one color and other activites are different colors - very interesting to see.

 

[scandi]

Hi Charlie, Thanks for your synopsis on the seismic charting. It is fascinating for sure, and have not found the SSAM yet, but know when I see it it will explain so much. I know the spikes show breaking rock activity in the mountain and the short little tremors show magma moving up inside that huge tube that enters into the caldron, and don't know what they call that.


I am going :crazy::crazy::crazy: tonight. For the last 10 hours or so the she has been very active, allot of the space allowed to show tremors and quakes have been almost filled up solid in the RKAM chart.


SUMPIN's A HAPPININ' RIGHT NOW
Really, I'm not an alarmist ;}

For about the last couple of hours, you can't pull up any seismic activity for any of the 3 seismic locations monitoring the mountain.

I got home at 5:30 and could pull it up then, and right before 6pm it had stopped running and then by 6:30pm Pacific time the screens are blank. The RKAM chart is still up, and during the day has taken a radical new look with 3 big spikes and much busy little activity.

I am about to see if I can find a seismologist at work tonight to see if Mt Redout has BLOWN. If not, something major is a brewin' and maybe she is about to. I know Mt St Helen's has an office at one of the Universities here, and will try to find that now to see whaz up!


xoxox


ETA: http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/Redoubt/REF_EHZ_AV.php

It is back up now, but you will see nothing has been printed on it since 1:15 UTC time, which is about 5:15 Pacific time.


I left a message at the USGS office in Portland. I don't know what I was thinking that I might find one studying his monitor tonight!