'Interesting Twist' To Tuesday Morning's Eruption (St. Helens)

KOIN.com ^ | 10/4/04

[momfirst]

Two New Vents Open

MOUNT ST. HELENS, Wash. -- A scientist said there was an "interesting twist" in Tuesday morning's eruption at Mount St. Helens, which started at 9:03 a.m. and lasted for more than an hour. At an afternoon news briefing, Carl Thornber of the U.S. Geological Survey said there was no tremor or other seismic signal going into the eruption, which sent ash and steam thousands of feet into the sky.

Thornber said there was no seismicity to speak of during the release, and it quieted down after the eruption. By 1 p.m., the earthquake activity was slowly returning to the level now considered normal.

Jon Major of the USGS said something inside the volcano is acting as a lid of sorts, occasionally opening to let out bursts of steam and ash. The lid then closes, and the volcano repressurizes for another eruption. This action is evident in the buildup of seismicity, he said.

Thornber added that new vents are forming, allowing more efficient access for the surface water to reach the hot material below and escape as a steam emission.

FLIR thermal imaging identified two new vents (pictured). "Impressive" deformation is occurring on the back side of the dome, indicating that magma is accumulating at depth.

New hot ballistics were spotted on the floor and walls of the crater. Thornber said they were hot relative to the ambient temperature but cold compared to the molten material inside the volcano.

The eruptions are growing in relative magnitude, and experts expect that they likely will continue increasing until there is a larger event.

The volcano alert remains at level three, warning that a major eruption could happen at any time.

[momfirst]

By 1 p.m., the earthquake activity was slowly returning to the level now considered normal.

The eruptions are growing in relative magnitude, and experts expect that they likely will continue increasing until there is a larger event. The volcano alert remains at level three, warning that a major eruption could happen at any time.

Is it just me, or do these two statements seem to contradict each other. I'm no scientist, but if the seismic activity is back to normal, that would not lead me to believe that eruptions will continue and get bigger? I'm begging to be educated...

[blogbat]

If I remember correctly, the "silent" eruption was also the case during the second of the first two major eruptions back in 1980. Though I wonder what we might have picked up with equipment closer to the dome (assuming we don't already have such equipment in place there.)

[Salvation]

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[fire_eye]

I'm getting bored with this. All I care about any more is, I want a big hot rock to land on a Demonrat - preferably in Portland.

[Chad Fairbanks]

ROTFL... I think we all have dreams like that ;0)

That being said, my mother called from across the country, worried about us because of all this news - my sister has been through the hurricanes in Florida, and we have the volcano here so she went into panic mode... I think, just maybe my response calmed her down a bit "Huh? Why would we not be ok? Ooooh. The volcano. I see. Yawn." ;0)

[momfirst]

Odds are pretty darn good any rock landing in Portland would hit a Democrat!