Alaska Volcano Erupts Twice in One Day

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

AP) A volcano on an uninhabited island 180 miles from Anchorage erupted twice Friday, sending plumes of ash more than six miles into the sky.

Airplanes were warned to keep at least five miles away from 4,134-foot Augustine Volcano.

The National Weather Service warned about 16,000 residents of Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island to the south _ an area that includes the city of Kodiak _ about the ash cloud. But the Alaska Volcano Observatory said it did not expect a heavy accumulation of ash.

Some schools on the Kenai Peninsula closed, affecting about 2,500 students.


A little more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/13/ap/tech/mainD8F42R800.shtml

[The Witch]

1. Holy crapoly.

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/volcanoes/volcimage.php?volcname=Augustine&search_year=2006

Look at those images. :wow: :wow: :wow:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. WOW! Thanks for my new desktop. Those are some outstanding

graphics!

[bloom]

12. cool site

thanks

[ozone_man]

13. Amazing pictures!

Thanks. Out of all the excuses for missing school, a volcano is an impressive one. Glad there are no fatalities.

[Radio_Lady]

20. Growing up in Florida in the 1950s, we did have "hurricane" makeup

days, as I recall. Sometimes hurricane activity in September or October used to delay the opening of school.

It used to put summer vacation WAY off into the REALLY hot weather... I haven't thought about that in a bunch of years.

[radfringe]

41. Where's the Pat Robertson comment?

Alaska being punished by God....

ummmm...maybe because bush* is allowing drilling in ANWR? :evilgrin:

[theHandpuppet]

2. And another link

The webcam of this volcano refreshes every 30 seconds. Spectacular pics!

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

[SpiralHawk]

4. From the looks of her, she's getting ready to pop big time

swollen belly. Building.

The web site just refers to it as the Augustine volcano.

I wonder what the native name of this mountain relative might be?

And what might be the local lore in the telling of her story?

[SpiralHawk]

5. A wave?

"All of these things are very typical of what you would expect to see in a volcano that is reawakening," Power said.

Although there are no specific signs that an eruption is imminent, flight restrictions are already in place and there are plans to expand those if activity increases at the volcano.

If Augustine does erupt, that could result in grounded flights, school closures and even evacuations, officials said. It is also possible that there will be a landslide from the volcano into the waters of Cook Inlet, causing a tsunami, they said.

Such an event occurred in 1883, when a wave believed to be 20 feet high hit the Native Alutiiq village of Nanwalek, 50 miles east of Augustine.

"Any time you have a volcano on the water that's erupting, common sense says you could have a flank collapse and a wave," said Paul Whitmore, director of the West Coast/Alaska
Tsunami Warning Center.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051223/sc_nm/environment_volcano_dc

[Radio_Lady]

7. Wow. The pictures are extraordinary. (So, what will Pat Robertson say

about this event? Is it God or Mother Nature? What have those poor people of Alaska done to deserve this? Copulated with heathens or worse -- like moose or wolves?) :sarcasm:

http://www.snopes.com/katrina/satire/robertson.asp

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

16. They allowed DRILLING!.... Wait, Pat wouldn't say that.

[northofdenali]

25. Voted for Ted Stevens!!!!

Oops, Pat wouldn't say THAT, either...............

Seriously, re: Stevens, I'd MUCH rather copulate with a moose. They're cuter, and much more intelligent.

Even if they do have prayer meetings:



:evilgrin:

[MADem]

40. God is hating Ted Stevens...or at least farting in his general direction!

[Radio_Lady]

18. Here's an interesting page with some lessons on Alaskan volcanoes!

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/LivingWith/VolcanicPast/Places/volcanic_past_alaska.html

[northofdenali]

6. We don't do anything halfway up here,.........

aren't the photos great? My friends in Kenai and Soldotna aren't too worried. Yet.

[Radio_Lady]

14. You must be north of Talkeetna. We saw the top of Denali (Mt. McKinley)

from the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage. Later, my husband and I stayed at the Best Western, Lake Louise. We decided to take a drive to Talkeetna, expecting to get a better view. My husband even wanted to take a small plane, the better to view Denali. Unfortunately, the mountain and all the planes were socked in by fog that day. We had a nice lunch and drove back to Lake Louise.

I love Alaska, especially in July and August, when it's hot here. We finally got there -- for about a week and a half. We flew in for six days in Anchorage, rented a car and drove to the Best Western in Lake Louise for a couple of nights. Then we went to Seward for a couple more nights. It was a great trip and I hope to get back someday!

We also saw the Werner Hertzog documentary, "Grizzly Man" about Timothy Treadwell's attempt to live with the bears for thirteen summers.

I hope you and your friends fare OK. I'm in an Alaskan state of mind!

See you at the DU!

In peace,

Radio_Lady

PS. Augustine will become a tourist destination after today, if it isn't already! It's uninhabited, right? I'm a little hazy on my geography. How far away from Anchorage is it?

[northofdenali]

24. Hey, RL -- I'm in Fairbanks, the Golden Heart City.

Friends in Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, etc. are getting a little ash now. There's been a 4th eruption (3 today); for more, here's the link to the Anchorage Daily News:

http://www.adn.com/news/environment/earthquakes/story/7355694p-7268050c.html

Image from the Alaska Volcano Observatory:



I'll probably have houseguests from South Central (AK, of course) beginning sometime tomorrow, just to get out of the ash. We're 350 miles northeast of Anchorage, so barring the Rapture, we'll be fine.

Come to think of it, we'd be finer if the Rapture would hurry the hell up!
:evilgrin:

[Radio_Lady]

30. Thanks for this link, NorthofDenali. Did you see this one about the

possibility of a bigger blast?

http://www.adn.com/news/environment/earthquakes/story/7355694p-7267840c.html

Big blow still expected
NEW PHASE: Major eruption may be in the works, experts warn.

By TOM KIZZIA
Anchorage Daily News

Published: January 13, 2006
Last Modified: January 13, 2006 at 05:30 PM

HOMER -- Thick, muscular columns of ash and steam boiled into the clouds over Augustine Volcano as the island's eruption moved into a new phase Thursday.

Scientists who flew to the island in lower Cook Inlet on Thursday said the volcano was in the midst of what they called a phreatic eruption -- one where high-pressure steam in the mountain is smashing old rock and carrying the ash into the sky. The dark plume, which was spreading its ash over waters south of the island, could continue for some time, volcanologists said.

Thursday's steam-driven ash eruption came after two initial vent-clearing explosions early Wednesday and then a day of jetting pure white steam.

MORE AT LINK - - - - - - - ->

(The pictures are fantastic. I wasn't here when Mt. St. Helens erupted in May, 1980. I sincerely hope you guys in Alaska will be OK. I've been told that the ashfall in our area after the 1980 blast was very difficult for residents here in the Portland area.)

[northofdenali]

37. I'm pretty sure things will work out.

We're pretty stubborn and self-reliant here, but if the Man says evacuate, I think everyone would. Also, everyone unaffected (remember how huge this state is) would be happy to supply living areas, etc. to anyone who needed it.

Up here, if you want to be left alone, you will be. If you need help, nearly every resident will offer it. Makes up somewhat for being a thoroughly RED state otherwise!

The population and towns are sparse enough; we had a 7.9 quake in 2002. One person got a broken arm. A couple of roads were trashed. That's it.
(Link: http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Denali_Fault_2002/ ) There's photos at the site, too.

Thanks for thinking of us!!! Next time you come up, the first beer's on me!

[free_spirit82]

39. Eielson AFB here

:hi:

[adarling]

8. this is a bad one guys and gals

i remember watching just a couple of weeks ago on Anderson Cooper about this volcano when they were predicting it was going to blow. Has to do with tsunami's because if it blows big, it might explode like St. Helens and have the mountain side will slide into the ocean causing a tsunami that would hit most of the alaskan cost and might head towards the western coast of the US, and the ash cloud could cut Anchorage out as well.
If this happens, maybe it will take out that bridge they have been wanting to build.

[northofdenali]

26. Nah. Frank "the Bank" Murkowski

would just build over it.

Augustine is about 75 miles southwest of Homer. The AVO (see links above) has great info.

[adarling]

29. lol-here is what he would do

he would probably be standing underneath it screaming "i will resign my senate post if you blow up my bridge!!!! arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!!!"

[newswolf56]

9. I am so politicized, I thought this was a joke headline about the...

Alaska GOPorker who erupted recently in the Senate. :)

[Radio_Lady]

10. If you accidentally post in LBN and it's not breaking news --

the rules are that the moderators will move it to another forum or take it down. At least, that's what I understand.

But I can understand your confusion! I like the expression GOPorker... that's great!

[newswolf56]

17. Thanks! Use it yourself it you like. n/t

[SoCalDem]

11. I WISH Ted Stevens would explode..

and be holding hands with several repubes when it happened:)

[Radio_Lady]

15. OT: Oh, that bad little boy in the photo! I stuck a fork in a toaster

when I was about seven years old. The jolt tossed me across the room! I have been very careful with electricity every since then! (And I married an electrical engineer, so he knows the difference between VOLTS and WATTS...)

[SoCalDem]

21. FOUR YEARS AGO..

I used a needle-nosed pliers to try and remove a broken oven light bulb :silly:..knocked me on my ASS

[newswolf56]

22. Another of those basic experiments essential to child scientists, e.g.:

(1)-What happens if you pull the doggie's tail while he is eating?

(2)-What happens if you stick a bobby-pin in an electrical outlet?

(3)-What happens if you poke the mouse-trap with your finger?

(4)-What happens if you put Oreos in the toaster?

(5)-etc.

[MissB]

35. (5) What happens when you stick a peanut butter sandwich

in the VCR?

[Radio_Lady]

49. I have the right answer: You buy a DVD player!

[Princess Turandot]

19. Here's a satellite photo of the island from a few years ago..

it's looking southward. The image is from Google Earth, so it is probably 3 or 4 years old. (They don't reveal the age of their data.) I used the program to provide the elevation.

[SpiralHawk]

23. Whoa, cool image

Getting the big picture. Thanks, Princess

[Viva_La_Revolution]

27. THAR SHE BLOWS!!

right when it fricking gets dark too... dangit!

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

[Radio_Lady]

32. Too bad the webcam doesn't have a night vision camera. That

would be really interesting.

I guess we'll see whats going on in the morning when the sun rises.

[pinerow]

28. Shoot...I can't erupt twice in one week...

:woohoo:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

31. 4 times today. ya know, back when I was younger....

ohh. um.. nevermind

[Radio_Lady]

33. Now, now... let's keep this light enough that it doesn't get locked.

OT: Viva -- I like your "winking lady" -- and have to PM you on another subject. Nice to meet you and the others at the DU Meetup. Hope we can do it again soon!

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Viva_La_Revolution]

34. It was great meeting you!

I wish we had more time to talk. Seems my friend and your hubby got off on a bit of a rocky start! D. has a hard time not being a radical. :eyes:

[Radio_Lady]

36. No problems. I meet with people who have strong -- and different --

opinions all the time.

Did you get my PM? Hope so! Talk later...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

43. As long as it doesn't last over four hours....

[northofdenali]

38. Update (it's 9:49 pm my time, Alaska Standard)

There was a 6th eruption at 6:58 PM Alaska Standard. Here's a map that shows where Augustine is located, Cook Inlet, and the various towns near the volcano:



All the markers in red indicate active ("live") volcanos.

According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory (part of the University of Alaska Geophysical Insitute) "Based on historical records from the eruptions in 1976 and 1986, as well as all available data from this eruption, we expect the current sequence of explosions will likely continue for several days to perhaps two to three weeks. The principal hazard associated with these explosions is airborne ash that can be transported downwind for hundreds of miles."

As always, my fellow DU'ers concern and thoughts are there!! Thanks, friends. We're not in any way in danger here in Fairbanks (unless the volcano sets of the Denali Fault for an earthquake...) but I've got lots of friends who could be affected.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

42. seismograph shows another about midnight last night...

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/webicorder.php?volcname=Augustine

I've got the webcam up already... anybody know what time dawn hits AK?
http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webcam/augustine2.php

[Viva_La_Revolution]

45. sunrise at 10am today...

Alaska time 3 more hours till we can see anything on the cams. :(

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp

[northofdenali]

46. It's almost time for lunch..........

so dawn is nigh :evilgrin:

Actually, sunrise was at 10:30 AST.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

44. UPDATE: Alaska Volcano Erupts Four Times in a Day

AP) A volcano on an uninhabited island 180 miles from Anchorage erupted four times Friday, sending plumes of ash more than six miles into the sky.

Airplanes were warned to keep at least five miles away from 4,134-foot Augustine Volcano.

The National Weather Service warned about 16,000 residents of Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island to the south _ an area that includes the city of Kodiak _ about the ash cloud. But the Alaska Volcano Observatory said it did not expect a heavy accumulation of ash.

Some schools on the Kenai Peninsula closed, affecting about 2,500 students.

Anchorage was in no danger.

More: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/14/ap/tech/mainD8F46MNO0.shtml


(pass it on)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

47. It's Bill Clinton's fault, isn't it? And the libruls?

The globe cooled for several months after Mt. St. Helens blew up. Of course, apple growers loved it. The next 4-5 yrs of crops were extremely good.

[Atmashine]

48. Magma

I like that word.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

50. Update - Seismicity at the volcano remains quiet.

oh well.


Welcome to DU Atmashine!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

51. Check out the charts...

It's been getting noisier in the last few hours.

I have no idea if that means anything. :shrug:


http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/webicorder.php?volcname=Augustine