Redoubt Volcano: Recent Images

Redoubt Activity – Color Code RED : Alert Level WARNING

Local time: March 24, 2009 6:45 AKDT (March 24, 2009 14:45 UTC)

Eruption cloud from an explosion at Redoubt Volcano

AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) false-color satellite image showing the eruption cloud from an explosion at Redoubt Volcano at 3:31am AKDT on March 23rd 2009. Image was captured at 5:30am and shows the ash cloud passing over other volcanoes and heading NE towards Anchorage. Picture Date: March 23, 2009 14:30:29 UTC . Image Creator:  John Bailey. Image courtesy of the AVO/UAF-GI.

Fine ash deposited on a windshield of the car during the 3/23/2009 ash fall in Healy, AK. Picture Date: March 23, 2009 15:38:00 AKDT. Image Creator: Pavel Izbekov. Image courtesy of the AVO/UAF-GI.

SEM image of ash particle from the 3/23/2009 ash fall in Healy, AK. Picture Date: March 24, 2009.  Image Creator: Pavel Izbekov; Jill Shipman. Image courtesy of the AVO/UAF-GI.

• Another SEM image of ash particle
  

Tephra deposits from the eruption of Redoubt Volcano

Photos of the flooding in Drift Valley and tephra deposits from the eruption of Redoubt Volcano. [more detailed caption to follow.] Picture Date: March 23, 2009. Image Creator: Game McGimsey. Image courtesy of AVO/USGS.

Massive flooding in Drift Valley from the eruption of Redoubt Volcano

Massive flooding in Drift Valley from the eruption of Redoubt Volcano. Picture Date: March 23, 2009. Image Creator: Game McGimsey. Image courtesy of AVO/USGS.

Ash Plumes from Redoubt Volcano

Earth Observatory Images of Ash plumes ejected by Redoubt Volcano. Above image was acquired March 23, 2009 at 12:30am AKDT [Add 8 hrs for UTC.] The above Terra MODIS image was captured at 12:30 a.m.  March 23, just 16 minutes after the third large eruption. Two plumes of ash are visible: a long white plume reaching north, and a smaller one just northeast the volcano. Communities along the trajectory of the ash plume included Skwenta and Talkeenta. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.

The Aqua MODIS image  was captured four hours later, at 4:30 a.m. AKDT, just as the fifth large eruption began. At that time, the new ash plume was located directly over Mt. Redoubt. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. Instrument: Aqua – MODIS

Ash on the snow to the NNE of Redoubt

MODIS image from Terra, 23 March 2009, 2149Z. Courtesy of GINA. Ash on the snow to the NNE of Redoubt. Picture Date: March 23, 2009 21:49:00 UTC. Image Creator:  Jonathan Dehn. Image courtesy of the Geographic Information Network of Alaska.

Eruption events 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 from Redoubt Volcano on 22 and 23 March 2009

Montage of various satellite images, from different times, showing eruption events 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 from Redoubt Volcano on 22 and 23 March 2009. There were multiple eruption events, this number of seven is one preliminary interpretation and may be subject to change upon further review. Picture Date: March 23, 2009. Image Creator: Ken Dean. Image courtesy of the AVO/UAF-GI.

Redoubt Volcano Latest Observations from AVO: 2009-03-24 00:35 UTC

The eruption of Redoubt volcano continues and the color code and volcano alert level remains at RED/WARNING. Seismic activity remains elevated, but has declined slightly over the past several hours. The activity consists mostly of volcanic tremor with some discrete events.

• AVO has received no new reports of ash emission since early this morning. The ashfall advisory has expired.

• AVO’s web camera near the volcano is now functioning and meltwater flooding along the margins of Drift glacier is evident.

• AVO has an overflight of the volcano in progress.

Related Links:

• Redoubt Erupts
• More Redoubt images

this post: 9 images +1  image link; 567 words; two links

Alaska’s Redoubt May Be About to Erupt

Redoubt Activity – Color Code ORANGE : Alert Level WATCH

AVO Report on 2009-01-31  at 22:41:24 [Local Time]

Seismicity remained above background. No new episodes of tremor have been detected in the last two hours.

Oblique photo of Redoubt Volcano taken during an observation flight. Fumarolic activity on the north side of the volcano is associated with the most recent unrest at Redoubt Volcano. View from the south. Picture Date: January 30, 2009 AKST – Image Creator:  Kristi Wallace – Image courtesy of AVO/USGS

Observers from the gas/observation flight today report continued melting at the summit area. Holes in the ice continue to grow exposing more steaming rock. Volcanic gases continue to be detected. Web camera views are currently dark. EoR

A rapidly growing fumarole

Geologists detected a hole in the glacier covering the north side of the Mount Redoubt volcano on Friday. The hole doubled in size within hours, currently estimated at about several acres in size.

Location of Redoubt volcano, in relationship to surrounding towns, roads, and other volcanoes. Picture Date: September 26, 2008 – Image Creator:  Janet Schaefer. Image courtesy of the AVO/ADGGS.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory researchers flew close to Drift Glacier and observed  vigorous steam emitted from the hole.  They confirmed Saturday the hole was a fumarole which was rapidly growing larger.

Based on the report, an eruption could occur. Redoubt last erupted in 1990.

AVO has  been recording minor quakes, however,  the frequency of these quakes are lower than the seismic activity that  preceded the last two eruptions in 1989 and 1990.

“We’re looking for an increase of seismicity to match the precursor activity, [however,]  we haven’t seen that yet.” AVO research geologist Kristi Wallace said.

[Note: A fumarole  is an opening in Earth’s  crust, usually near volcanoes, which emits steam and gases including carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid.]

FEWW Forecast: An area within approximately 300-km radius of Anchorage would be one of the seismic zones in Alaska to experience continued intense seismic activity this year possibly including a magnitude MW 7.9 or larger quake close to Anchorage  (south of the city, north of Rugged Island).

Related Links:

• Alaska Volcano Observatory: Redoubt
• Volcanoes [Links page]
• Magnitude MW 5.7 Quake Hits Southern Alaska
  

Redoubt’s ‘Phantom Unrest’ Could Lead to Eruption

Alaska Volcano Observatory

Information Statement – Friday, October 3, 2008 10:37 AM AKDT (10:37 UTC)

Redoubt Volcano

• Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano
• Coordinates: 60°29’7″ N 152°44’38” W
• Summit Elevation: 10197 ft (3108 m)
• Recent Eruptions:1902, 1966-68, and 1989-90
• Location: Western side of Cook Inlet, about 170 km southwest of Anchorage and 82 km east of Kenai, Alaska
• Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL

Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN

Annotated photo of Redoubt Volcano from the north, including features seen on 27 September, 2008.
Picture Date: September 27, 2008 – Image Creator: Kate Bull – Image courtesy of the AVO/ADGGS.
Full Size

What’s up at Redoubt?

Starting September 16, reports of strong hydrogen sulfide odor and loud noises coming from the direction of the volcano were reported. AVO observation flight on September 27 revealed:

• A number of fractures and circular openings in the upper Drift glacier for the first time.
• Scientist noted a strong hydrogen sulfide odor, but onboard instrumentation recorded no sulfur dioxide.
• Fumaroles on top of  domes formed in the 1968 and 1990 eruptions showed more vigorous steaming than the last observation in mid-August.
• AVO’s seismic network detected no abnormal earthquake activity, despite the earlier reports.

AVO believes Redoubt’s increased fumarolic activity and presence of sulfur odors do not suggest an imminent eruption, despite similar observations being made in the  months preceding the 1989-1990 eruption, when seismicity also increased significantly. AVO expects a similar strong increase in seismicity first before an eruption occurs.

Notes:

In the 1989-90 eruption lahar traveling down the Drift River partially inundated the Drift River Oil Terminal facility. Ash plumes produced during the same eruption affected international air traffic with traces of ashfall falling on Anchorage and nearby communities. (AVO)