Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska rumbles again
Posted by JAC on 12/28/2009, 11:21 pm
(12-28) 14:31 PST Anchorage, Alaska (AP) --

Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano is rumbling again.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory says a series of small earthquakes began occurring around the summit of the volcano Sunday and continued Monday. As a result, scientists have upgraded the volcano's alert status.

Redoubt, about 105 miles southwest of Anchorage, went through an eruptive period that led to major explosions earlier this year, including one that dusted Anchorage with ashfall.

The erupting volcano forced the Cook Inlet Pipeline Co. to remove millions of gallons of oil stored at the Drift River Terminal 22 miles away. Hundreds of airline flights also had to be canceled because of ash clouds this spring.

The last time Mount Redoubt had a similar period of activity was in late 1989 to spring 1990.

REDOUBT VOLCANO (CAVW #1103-03-)
60°29'7" N 152°44'38" W, Summit Elevation 10197 ft (3108 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Earlier this morning, AVO elevated the Aviation Color Code to YELLOW and the Volcano Alert Level to ADVISORY at Redoubt Volcano. Beginning about 4:00 pm AKDT on December 27 (0100 December 28 UTC), small repetitive earthquakes began to occur in the vicinity of the volcano's summit. Activity is continuing this morning; these earthquakes are very small and have decreased in frequency overnight. These earthquakes represent a departure from seismicity at the volcano over the past five months. (See http://www.avo.alaska.edu/webicorders/Redoubt/RSO_EHZ_AV.php). Clouds currently obscure web camera and satellite views of the volcano.

These earthquakes could be precursory to renewed eruptive activity at the volcano and increased instability of the lava dome. Whether this will result in explosive activity or collapse of the lava dome is unknown at this time. However, there is a heightened possibility of volcanic activity that would produce a volcanic ash cloud and associated ash fall, pyroclastic avalanches, and lahars and flooding down the Drift River.

AVO is monitoring the situation closely and will attempt to overfly the volcano when weather allows.

Heavily ice-mantled Redoubt volcano is located on the western side of Cook Inlet, 170 km (106 mi) southwest of Anchorage and 82 km (51 mi) west of Kenai, within Lake Clark National Park. Redoubt is a stratovolcano which rises to 10,197 feet above sea level. Recent eruptions occurred in 1902, 1966-68, 1989-90, and 2009. The 1989-90 and 2009 eruptions produced mudflows, or lahars, that traveled down the Drift River and partially flooded the Drift River Oil Terminal facility. The ash plumes produced by the 1989-90 and 2009 eruptions significantly disrupted air traffic and resulted in minor or trace amounts of ash in the city of Anchorage and other communities in south-central and interior Alaska.







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Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska rumbles again - JAC, 12/28/2009, 11:21 pm
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