No doubt, Alaska's Redoubt Volcano will Erupt at any Moment

by politisite | January 29, 2009 at 09:38 am

5740 views | 81 Recommendations | 30 comments

Alaska finds itself in a waiting game as Mount Redoubt according to the United States Geological Survey.

This writer was in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1989 when Mount Redoubt erupted causing severe problems with air traffic. So much so that a commercial aircraft lost power in its engines and descended 2000 feet before it was able restart its engines.

Here is some updated information from March 24-25, 2009 - Alaska Airlines canceled 19 flights into Anchorage on Tuesday. See Alaska Redoubt Observatory

7th Mount Redoubt explosion

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 25 (UPI) -- A small explosion at Mount Redoubt in Alaska early Wednesday sent up an ash cloud 15,000 feet that dissipated over the volcano, scientists say.

Mount Redoubt began erupting Sunday and has now had seven explosions. But scientists say the seventh was considerably smaller than the other six, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

"It was such a minor eruption, we almost didn't see it on the radar," National Weather Service meteorologist Christian Cassell said.

There was no ash advisory and the explosion did not interrupt air traffic as previous ones have.

Peter Cervelli of the Alaska Volcano Observatory said that Redoubt is "extruding a lava dome."

"We may have had a piece of that dome break off and tumble along and produce an ash cloud," he said.

Mount Redoubt is on the Kenai Peninsula, about 110 miles southwest of Anchorage

Alaska's Redoubt Volcano, 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, is expected to erupt within days or weeks, authorities at the Alaska Volcano Observatory say.

"The level of seismic activity" has "increased markedly" in recent days at Mount Redoubt, according to the Observatory.

From the Alaska Volcano Observatory:

Summary of Current Unrest

Since last fall, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has detected increasing volcanic unrest at Redoubt Volcano. Starting on Friday, January 23, the level of seismic activity increased markedly, and on Sunday AVO raised the Aviation Color Code to ORANGE and the Volcano Alert Level to WATCH. On the basis of all available monitoring data AVO regards that an eruption similar to or smaller than the one that occurred in 1989-90 is the most probable outcome. We expect such an eruption to occur within days to weeks.

1989 Boing 747 Loses power following eruption

Alaska's volcanoes are potentially hazardous to passenger and freight aircraft as jet engines sometimes fail after ingesting volcanic ash. On December 15, 1989, a Boeing 747 flying 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of Anchorage encountered an ash cloud erupted from Redoubt Volcano and lost power in all four jet engines. The plane, with 231 passengers aboard, lost more than 3,000 meters (~9,800 feet) of elevation before the flight crew was able to restart the engines (Casadevall, 1994). After landing, it was determined the airplane had suffered about $80 million in damage (Brantley, 1990).

Mount Redoubt eruption history-1902, 1966 and 1989

Mount Redoubt, or Redoubt Volcano, is an active stratovolcano in the largely volcanic Aleutian Range of Alaska. The mountain is also the highest within the range, and among the highest peaks in Alaska. It is located in the Chigmit Mountains (a subrange of the Aleutians), west of Cook Inlet, about 180 km (110 miles) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory currently rates Redoubt as Aviation Alert Level Orange and Volcano Alert Level Watch. On January 25, 2009, the Alaska Volcano Observatory warned that Redoubt may erupt within "hours or days". On January 28, 2009, the AVO released an information statement stating that an eruption similar to its 1989/1990 event is the most likely scenario.

Mount Redoubt erupted in 1902, 1966 and 1989. The eruption in 1989 spewed volcanic ash to a height of 14,000 m (45,000 ft) and managed to catch KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight 867, a Boeing 747 aircraft, in its plume (the flight landed safely at Anchorage). The ash covered an area of about 20,000 km² (7,700 sq. miles). The 1989 eruption is also notable for being the first ever volcanic eruption to be successfully predicted by the method of long-period seismic events developed by Swiss/American volcanologist Bernard Chouet.

News Director, Rachel Nixon, has recommended the following links-

Mount Redoubt webcam

Alaska Volcano Observatory - Twitterfeed

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

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recommend This comment thread is now closed

Paschen

at 15:27 on January 29th, 2009

Mount Fuji (富士山 Fuji-san?, IPA: [ɸɯʥisaɴ]) listen (help·info) is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft).[1] Along with Mount Tate andMount Haku, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山 Sanreizan). Anactive volcano [3] that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures just west of Tokyo, from which it can be seen on a clear day. It is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshū. Three small cities surround it: Gotemba (south), Fujiyoshida(north) and Fujinomiya (southwest).

Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.

Amy Judd

at 11:39 on January 29th, 2009

Wow, we'll have to keep our eyes on this. Thanks for the story.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 11:49 on January 29th, 2009

Thanks for this story, politisite! From what I also read here, I hope Redoubt settles down.

Rachel Nixon

at 12:52 on January 29th, 2009

Here are a couple of links where you can check the latest with the volcano:

Mount Redoubt webcam (not much to see at the moment though)

Twitterfeed from the Alaska Volcano Observatory

Noel Jameel Abdullah

at 16:20 on January 29th, 2009

God willing Good ol` gal Sara will get a blanket of ash!

ALEXinKENAI

at 21:49 on January 29th, 2009

I saw it erupt in 89 and you should have seen the lightning bolts flashing all around the ash cloud!!!
Alex Cowie
Kenai Alaska

ALEXinKENAI has contributed a photo to this story.

Ted Raynor

at 22:01 on January 29th, 2009

It's not all bad. Volcanic ash is a wonderful fertilizer.

LinnyAK

at 23:18 on January 30th, 2009

I didn't know about this site, thanks for letting me contribute a pic

nyctuber

at 06:00 on February 1st, 2009

God is sending Sara Palin a message lol

Aggie (not verified)

at 08:31 on March 16th, 2009

We will be visiting Anchorage in June of this year, if Mt. Redoubt erupts, how long will the ash remain on the ground? Im just wondering if everything will still be covered with ash when we visit. I hope everyone up there stays safe!

Emilio Lizardo

at 13:15 on January 29th, 2009

Remember to bear in mind - full-moons and new-moons.

These are the two times during the month when gravitational stresses on the Earth's crust are at their maximum - hence, especially so for eclipses !

PushingtinAK

at 14:26 on January 29th, 2009

PushingtinAK has contributed a photo to this story.

N2scrapn

at 15:21 on January 29th, 2009

I was lucky to observe this volcano in August of 2008 and obtain a few beautiful shots.

N2scrapn has contributed a photo to this story.

Paschen

at 15:25 on January 29th, 2009

Well, I hope that Mount Fuji will remain quiet.

158

at 16:31 on January 29th, 2009

Good story.

Nice pictures.

politisite

at 12:55 on March 25th, 2009

Thanks Rachel, Fantastic to be able to watch the actual news in progress. Today, 25th March it has been erupting for several days. Today would be a great day to watch. I will add your links to the post

politisite

at 15:13 on January 30th, 2009

Thanks Rhonda. I was in Alaska during the last major eruption. I was there from 1988-1992. Lots of issues while I was there including the oil spill and a c-130 crash on Ft. Wainwrights runway at 45 below zero and a Tanker explosion at Eileson AFB

politisite

at 15:15 on January 30th, 2009

Please don't. If Gov. Palin gets ash so do thousands of others

politisite

at 15:16 on January 30th, 2009

I was in Fairbanks, so I missed that. Thanks for your footage.

Oxidiz3r (not verified)

at 17:26 on January 30th, 2009

I moved up to Alaska in October of 2007 from Wisconsin, where nothing amazing happens, and I was so excited when I felt the small earthquake last week, and now a volcano is going to blow while I'm here! Can't wait! ^_^

Kuskulana Steve

at 13:20 on January 31st, 2009

Of the 30 volcanoes monitored in Alaska, 3 are visible from the Anchorage area, Mount Redoudt being one. This mountain appears in many of my sunset photos, and is one of the dominent features looking west over Cook Inlet.

Kuskulana Steve has contributed a photo to this story.

carolynrossow

at 16:12 on January 31st, 2009

Mt. Redoubt in summer of 2008. It was past midnight.

carolynrossow has contributed a photo to this story.

Babel-Fish

at 22:04 on January 31st, 2009

Hopefully its will be just a small eruption

Raymond Johnson (not verified)

at 12:15 on February 9th, 2009

well you guys best not wait to long and start getting the area prepared this could be the one that send tons of ash to the south eastern side of Alaska and down towards the west coast of the US and cause the ocean temp.to rise and effect the fishing in the area.So get ready this one will be huge and will effect the atmosphere for months into the summer time.No air travel will be allowed in the area be very cautious about large aircraft within the next few weeks.Keep looking for the ground temps to rise very soon this will be your biggest indicator of what MOTHER NATURE will be ready to blow her top!!!!Check the activity of the animals in the area and the insects look very close they will tell you first THIS IS A WARNING SIGN.PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THEM!!!!!

John Sawyer (not verified)

at 11:04 on February 12th, 2009

Does anyone know how fishing in Cook Inlet is affected by volcano activity?

politisite

at 13:05 on March 25th, 2009

Glad you found NP. Glad you are here. Hope to see more from you. NowPublic is the New media that you have heard so much about.

politisite

at 13:09 on March 25th, 2009

That all depends on the winds, rain etc. So far there have been small eruptions and not much to worry about. This happened in 1989 as well until there was a huge eruption. I do not believe that Anchorage was blanketed as the winds took it in another direction. It did cause weather change for the next year or so. Fairbanks has 67 below and following years were very cold as well. The North east US also had weather change as cold temps and snow.