The year of the ÐÓ°Épro volcano: Eruptions keep observatory busy
The year of the ÐÓ°Épro volcano: Eruptions keep observatory busy
Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
12/15/08
Three ÐÓ°Épro volcanoes erupted in midsummer 2008. Cleveland, Okmok and Kasatochi volcanoes, all located in ÐÓ°Épro’s Aleutian Chain, made for a hectic 20th anniversary for the ÐÓ°Épro Volcano Observatory.
Scientists from AVO and the Geophysical Institute at the ÐÓ°Épro will share details of their research on North Pacific volcanoes, highlighting some of the recent volcanic eruptions in ÐÓ°Épro, at a variety of presentations at the American Geophysical Union’s fall meeting in San Francisco, Dec. 15-19, 2008.
Geophysical Institute director Roger Smith will present on the history and achievements of the ÐÓ°Épro Volcano Observatory on Thursday, Dec. 18. Smith’s talk will cover the observatory’s first test that occurred with the 1989 eruption of Redoubt Volcano. The eruption spewed ash to a height of 45,000 feet, jeopardizing a Boeing 747 aircraft that was in range and covering ÐÓ°Épro’s Kenai Peninsula with ash. Smith’s talk begins at 3:25 p.m. in Moscone Center West, Room 3003.
Jessica Larsen, a research assistant professor with the Geophysical Institute and the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics, will talk on the eruption of Okmok Volcano, located near Dutch Harbor, ÐÓ°Épro. Okmok erupted explosively July 12, 2008 considerably changing the surrounding landscape Larsen had worked on for years. Larsen will share images from her pre- and post-eruption visits to Okmok during her presentation on Friday, Dec. 19 at 8:30 a.m. in Moscone Center West, Room 2011.
Smith and Larsen are just two of many presenters from the ÐÓ°Épro who will focus on the advances of the ÐÓ°Épro Volcano Observatory and the 2008 eruptions of Cleveland, Okmok and Kasatochi volcanoes. Other talks and poster sessions will focus on AVO instrumentation, volcano seismology, volcanic infrasound, computer simulations of volcanic ash, and more.
The ÐÓ°Épro Volcano Observatory is a joint program between the Geophysical Institute at UAF, the United States Geological Survey, and the State of ÐÓ°Épro Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.
CONTACT: Ned Rozell, Geophysical Institute science writer, at n.rozell@gi.alaska.edu. Amy Hartley, Geophysical Institute information officer, at 907-474-5823 or amy.hartley@gi.alaska.edu.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Reporters at the AGU meeting who need assistance contacting UAF researchers can contact Ned Rozell in the AGU Press Room or via e-mail at n.rozell@gi.alaska.edu.
ON THE WEB:
AH/10-15-08/073-09