Mount St. Helen

[TklDuo-Ann]

Is anyone besides me noticing an ever increasing amount of activity on the volcano? Here's a pic from about an hour ago... http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/images/mshvolcanocam6.jpg (This is now a refreshed image and may not show activity.)

The last few days, there seems to be new vents opening and more small ventings of gases. I check the web cam site at least once a day...usually a few times. Anyone else enjoy checking things out?

Here's the three hour page... http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/archive/live-images/

Ann

 

[lk70]

What's that thing on the right? This is cool!

 

[storyteller]

I believe it's called a plume

What's that thing on the right? This is cool!

Or, in another word: smoke.

Yes, it is "cool," or perhaps in this case "hot," to see nature at work--from a distance in both time and space. Nature is an awesome power. Unfortunately, while being awed, I'm also concerned. I remember the May 1980 eruption and the deaths and destruction from it. As much change as the 1980 eruption wrought, it wasn't nearly that which has ensued following other volcanic eruptions around the world, including, if in the wake of supervolcanic eruptions, global climate change, usually a reduction in worldwide temperature. For more information about Mt. St. Helen and a brief recap of the 1980 eruption, you can go to the home page of the sites given by Ann for the cam links. That is, www.fs.fed.us.gpn/mshnum/ .

Is anyone besides me noticing an ever increasing amount of activity on the volcano? Here's a pic from about an hour ago... http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanoca...volcanocam6.jpg

The last few days, there seems to be new vents opening and more small ventings of gases. I check the web cam site at least once a day...usually a few times. Anyone else enjoy checking things out?

Here's the three hour page... http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanoca...ve/live-images/

Ann

Thanks for sharing these links, Ann. Almost exactly a month ago, I saw a report on one of the evening national news broadcasts about the first civilian climbers taken on the long, "safer" (quotes indicate relativity of safety) trek up part of Mt. St. Helen by National Park Rangers since the May 1980 eruption. On that day, 21 July 2006, as usual, the USGS had people within the volcano's active zone taking readings. They reported that Mt. St. Helen's activity has been progressively increasing for a while, especially lately. I remember seeing several more plumes emanating from the active zone on that broadcast. Volcanologists expect the mountain to blow again, but it seems that no one really knows whether Mt. St. Helen's is just "burping" constantly as the pressure beneath continues to build or the 1980 eruption was a minor blip in its life compared to what may come next.

I've heard over the years that concern also extends to the seemingly dormant Mt. Rainier, which to date, again seemingly, remains "quiet."

Nature is up to something in the Pacific Northwest. We just don't know what yet or whether the change will be isolated to Mt. St. Helen.

 

[DannyMc]

Can they tell yet if it's close to blowing again ?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

What's that thing on the right? This is cool!

Hmmm. I'm not sure if it's the smoke that was being refered to. That's rather obvious. I'm thinking that you might be refering to the black scuff mark that appears just above the smoke. That's actually a scratch on the protective casing surrounding the camera itself. It shows up in all the pictures. They plan to change out that piece next time they go up to service the camera.

I've attached a couple of older pictures below with some notes on them. The "whaleback" is the nickname that's been given to the growing mound in the rear right of the crater. It's been continuously growing, splitting and reforming as time goes on. The "fin" is a taller formation at the back of the whaleback. This has been the area of most activity over the last few months as it constantly builds to a sharp peak and then collapses in on itself. I marked one of the pictures with a circle and several dots. The dots point out areas where new vents have appeared in the past year or so. The circle on that same image indicates the area of greatest visible activity. I say "visible" because the new vents indicate largely unseen activity in other portions of the mount as well.

AFA any imminent erruptions... The fact that there's bee so much venting is actually a good thing. The more gas/pressure it lets off, the less likelihood there is of a major blow any time soon. Although, I have to admit that I'm wondering about there being so much activity building around the remaining peak on the right side of the images. I'm no volcanologist. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see a collapse of that peak at some point. The fact that it's been so hot this summer will bode well for the area if that were to happen soon. There's very little snowpack left to create a lahar (a fast-moving flow of mud and debrise). But, that will change as the weather begins to cool again.

Hikers have actually been allowed up to certain points for some time. The trails are opened and closed as conditions dictate. The special that storyteller saw is likely an older one...possibly the one originally aired in 2004 when there was more substantial activity over the course of a few months. If you go to the movies section of the site, you can see some of that. There's also a hall of fame image page that has some cool shots of things.

It IS pretty cool. Isn't it? 😉

 

[storyteller]

Thanks, again, Ann, for the new pictures--and your additions!--as well as all the information. I'm not a volcanologist either, just a curious bystander.

I also wondered yesterday whether I'd remembered the news report correctly or gotten it confused with an earlier documentary, but the homepage of the site where you got your pictures confirmed the July 2006 date. I imagine what I DIDN'T remember from the news report was it was probably the first official hike to a particular spot because I'd wondered then how they'd managed to keep people away, especially for 26 years! Just didn't seem very likely.

That what I took to be one of the plumes or evidence of the vents turned out to be a scratch seems both good and bad! Good that the venting material isn't black. Bad that it's hard to see just how many vents are letting out steam. Your idea about the demise of the remaining peak echoes what I heard on the news report and various documentaries--probably including the 2004 one you mentioned.

You asked in your first post whether anyone else out there was interested. I am! Whatever's happening at Mt. St. Helen IS very interesting, and I sure don't know many people who think so. Granted, I'm glad I don't live too close--more used to coping with hurricanes!--but, it's nice to know that others who aren't in that particular field share this curiosity and are willing to share. Thank you for that. Will be terrific to keep this thread going.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I imagine what I DIDN'T remember from the news report was it was probably the first official hike to a particular spot because I'd wondered then how they'd managed to keep people away, especially for 26 years! Just didn't seem very likely.

That might be the case. Not all trails were reopened because of instabilities, etc. They've actually caught a few people trying to go off-trail, or simply hike up there without the proper permits. They usually don't get very far.

That what I took to be one of the plumes or evidence of the vents turned out to be a scratch seems both good and bad! Good that the venting material isn't black. Bad that it's hard to see just how many vents are letting out steam. Your idea about the demise of the remaining peak echoes what I heard on the news report and various documentaries--probably including the 2004 one you mentioned.

Yeah. The spots I marked are simply those I've seen for myself. There are likely others that I've missed. But, the pattern of how they're opening up around that peak makes me think that something is coming. Crumbling into the crater could be good or bad I suppose. Good because it could contain things and keep debrise from running down the mount to the areas below. Bad because it could also open up the whaleback and destabilize the lower areas. Time will tell.

You asked in your first post whether anyone else out there was interested. I am! Whatever's happening at Mt. St. Helen IS very interesting, and I sure don't know many people who think so. Granted, I'm glad I don't live too close--more used to coping with hurricanes!--but, it's nice to know that others who aren't in that particular field share this curiosity and are willing to share. Thank you for that. Will be terrific to keep this thread going.

I've always loved natural sciences...esp. geology and meteorology. I'd actually thought about going into that field when I was in high school...until we discovered that I couldn't breathe around many chemicals and had all sorts of other allergies that would get in the way. Wasn't meant to be, I guess. *shrug* At least in the age of computers, I can still have a little fun watching from the sidelines.

Ann