A Dormant Volcano By An Alaska City May Be Waking Up After Centuries Of Sleep

Science A Dormant Volcano By An Alaska City May Be Waking Up After Centuries Of Sleep Eric Mack Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I cover science and innovation and products and policies they create. Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Oct 29, 2022, 10:22am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Herring Sac Roe fishery, Sitka, Alaska. getty Magma is on the move around the ring of fire. Massive Mauna Loa in Hawaii is rumbling, and now molten rock movement has been detected below Mt.

Edgecumbe, a long dormant volcano in Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) discovered that magma has been moving upward through Earth’s crust beneath the volcano, which has been quiet in the modern era. Local indigenous oral histories tell of the most recent eruption about 800 to 900 years ago.

The AVO scientists used satellite images and computer models to estimate that magma has risen from a depth of 12 miles to only six miles, causing recent earthquakes and deformation of the surface. MORE FROM FORBES Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, The World’s Largest Volcano, Is Starting To Rumble By Eric Mack “That’s the fastest rate of volcanic deformation that we currently have in Alaska,” said University of Alaska Fairbanks associate professor of geodesy Ronni Grapenthin , who is a lead author on a research paper outlining the findings in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. MORE FOR YOU The Inside Story Of Papa John’s Toxic Culture The “Soft” $20-Million Book Drop: Prince Harry’s Tell-All, Called “Spare,” Has A Publication Date, A Cover Shot, And Is Primed For Impact Visit Rwanda’s GorillaGram Will Use Your Instagram Photos To Help Save This Endangered Species “And while it is not uncommon for volcanoes to deform, the activity at Edgecumbe is unusual because reactivation of dormant volcanic systems is rarely observed,” he added.

This doesn’t mean an eruption is imminent, but the volcano was officially recategorized from “dormant” to “historically active” earlier this year. A swarm of earthquake activity was observed at Mt. Edgecumbe, which is just 15 miles from the town of Sitka and its 8,500 residents, in April.

The research team went to work analyzing satellite radar data after the earthquakes were detected and soon discovered that magma movement was to blame for the tremors. Grapenthin says the magma is still quite deep and that there is nothing for locals to lose sleep over for now. “This magma intrusion has been going on for three-plus years now,” he said.

“Prior to an eruption we expect more signs of unrest: more seismicity, more deformation, and—importantly—changes in the patterns of seismicity and deformation. ” New monitoring equipment has been placed on the mountain this year and scientists are now taking a closer look at other volcanoes nearby. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

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