Alaska's Mount Redoubt spews ash 50,000 feet high (another eruption)

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Source: Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska's Mount Redoubt has erupted again, spewing an ash cloud 50,000 feet up into the air.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage says the volcano had a significant eruption at 1:20 a.m. Saturday. The ash is expected to move north toward the Alaska Range, missing Anchorage which is about 100 miles from the volcano.

The observatory says after the eruption, it detected strong seismic activity lasting 20 minutes or more followed by an hours-long low-level tremor.

Since the series of eruptions began Sunday night, the volcano has had about a dozen bursts. The last time the volcano erupted was during a four-month period in 1989-90.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/alaska_volcano

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Boom, baby!

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[acmavm]

2. So, what kind of economical effect will this have on Alaska? And how will

Moosalina pay for the damages? Or is she hoping for the feds to pick up the tab?

[Blue_In_AK]

6. It's probably having a disastrous effect on the Anchorage

International Airport, which is one of the largest cargo airports in the world, not to mention an international passenger hub. Flights in and out of Anchorage have been intermittent since last Sunday night when the first eruption happened.

[acmavm]

8. And there's nothing to do about it but wait. I forgot about international

trade/travel and Anchorage.

This will affect more than Alaska.

edit: Poor Alaska. When I lived there one of the first places I saw was Earthquake Park.

It sure gets more than its share of troubles.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Earthquake Park is about a mile from our house.

That's where we take our walks in the summer. The first time I saw it was in 1972 when it still looked pretty rough -- these days it's all overgrown and the broken-up landscape has softened.

As for the volcano, we got stuck in Nome last Monday where we had been for the Iditarod finish. We were supposed to leave Monday afternoon, but couldn't make it out until Tuesday night. Probably half the people on the plane were mushers - Lance and Tonya Mackey sat across the aisle from us. I think his dogs must have been in cargo because he said he wasn't going anywhere without his puppies. :)

[acmavm]

11. Yeah, in 71 it looked pretty good if you can describe a few acres of

land that was cracks and crevasses in one place, earth projecting out into the air in others as looking 'good'. It was so amazing to see what the effects of a major earthquake are like. I come from the Midwest so there's no way that I'd ever seen anything like that before. And when the freaking US Government set off that damn nuclear test on Amchitka Island I was freaking convinced the whole place was gonna end up looking like that.

So, how did Todd do in the race this year? Did he compete?

You know what was the one of the best times I ever had? The raft regatta that Chilkoot Charlie's (gone, I'm sure) used to hold each year. Running down Ship Creek.

Damn, I miss Alaska.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Todd came in fifth, I believe, in the Iron Dog

which is different from the Iditarod. They use snowmachines; Iditarod is real sleds and dogs.

Actually Chilkoot Charlie's is still going strong. As a matter of fact, my daughter and son-in-law's band does their "Country Nights" set there every weekend on one of the stages. On Monday they play their usual "four decades of rock 'n' roll" set. The pay is awesome -- they can almost quit their day jobs. :rofl:

'Koot's has quite a history -- it wouldn't be Anchorage without it.


I'm currently working hard to sort out and post some of my Iditarod photos on my website (in my sig line). I'll send you the link when I've got it finished -- it'll make you REALLY miss Alaska.

[acmavm]

25. Great. Thank you.

[Vroomfondel]

14. Stuck in Nome

I've been stuck here for two days. I m-i-g-h-t get out of here tomorrow morning if the big earth-pimple takes a break. There are people all over the state trying to get home (unsuccessfully)

[Blue_In_AK]

19. Do I understand correctly that you're still in Nome

from the race? We were wondering if some of the people who were scheduled to come home Wednesday got hung up. We just sort of slipped in between eruptions and made it back here safely, but we were lucky. Now I'm worried about getting down to LA in a couple of weeks for the birth of my fourth grandchild. It's that daughter's first, and she needs her mommy. Redoubt seems a little more excitable than it was in 1989-90.

[Vroomfondel]

21. Yep, still here.

There are much worse places to be stuck, though. So, AK Airlines got a jet out of here this afternoon, but I was way down the stand-by list. They're way backed up. If your friends were supposed to leave Nome on Wed., I'm sure they're out by now.

[Blue_In_AK]

23. I agree, Nome isn't so bad.

It was our first trip out, and we had a great time...so much so that we're going again next year. We were actually glad for the extra day because we got to see some of the last mushers come in (the ones in the daytime anyway - the fabulous Trent Herbst with his wonderful red hair and beard), and we got to gulp down some of the Red Lantern banquet before we had to run to the airport.

[Doctor Cynic]

13. She can sell all those clothes from Tiffanys in EBay to pay for the lost business.

[orwell]

3. Why does God hate Alaska...

...and where is the Rev. Phelps when you need him?

Gov. Palin, please call the Almighty on the White Courtesy phone...

[Blue_In_AK]

4. We just had another one about 45 minutes ago.

I think that makes five maybe in the past 24 hours. Sarah has made the volcano gods very angry.

[bread_and_roses]

5. They don't like Republicans saying they're not worth watching

...goddess, that was dumb.
(on edit, yes, i know wasn't spunky cheerleader who said it but hey, it's her Party)

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Jindal was an idiot to make that remark about volcano monitoring

when Redoubt was on watch even then.

We've already had half as many eruptions since last Friday as we had over four months in 1989-90, the last time this volcano blew.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. And such a TIMELY idiot to have made it.

Maybe god love America after all....in the usual "mysterious ways".

[liberal N proud]

12. We should sacrifice Gov Jindal to the volcano gods

[regnaD kciN]

16. Have you considered a sacrifice to placate them?

Hey, Sarah! You know how you can really help the people of your state? :evilgrin:

[burning rain]

15. See, Alaska?

This is what happens when you piss God off by electing a toad like Palin.

[alfredo]

17. Images from the AVO site The night images are awesome.

http://www2.avo.alaska.edu/images/recent_images.php

[wickerwoman]

22. Holy Shit!

Thanks for posting these!

[alfredo]

24. Volcanoes know how to put on a good show, but they tend to make a big

mess of things.

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Geez, there was just another eruption at 3:30.

This is getting ridiculous.

[Blue_In_AK]

27. Another eruption at 7:23 p.m.

We're getting a little bit of ash here in Anchorage which you can smell and see on the snow.

[L. Coyote]

26. Is this volcano clearing its throat for the real deal?

[Blue_In_AK]

28. Well, I think this is pretty much a real deal already

Ash has been sent from 25,000 to 65,000 feet skyward - that's a pretty good hiccup. I've lost track of how many eruptions we've had since last Sunday night...I believe it's well over 25 now.

When it last erupted in 1989-90, there were approximately 30 eruptions over a four-month period, so it's acting a little different this time since we've already had that many in less than a week. It's hard telling what it's up to, but I'd feel a little better if it would settle down. I don't think any of us are in danger, although there is some worry about Chevron's tank farm on the Drift River.

[L. Coyote]

29. Now and then: a comparison of eruptions at Mount Redoubt

During the 1989 Redoubt eruption, ash spewed only about 45,000 feet high. The latest eruptions this week have sent a plume as high as 65,000 feet.

"It's early days but certainly one of the things that's impressed us is the amount of energy that these first eruption explosive events have shown," Miller said.

When a volcano erupts, something called a lava dome will typically form. It's basically a mound of rock that blocks the opening of the volcano.

The 1989 series of eruptions created 14 such domes, but today there are none confirmed. However, scientists think the first one may have formed Thursday night.

The 1989 eruptions lasted just under six months, producing about 20 explosions. Less than a week into the 2009 eruptions there have been more than a dozen.

FROM: http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10087115

[Veruca Salt]

30. The volcano gods demand a sacrifice!!

And I know the perfect one.... though it may give the poor volcano indigestion.

j/k of course. ;-)

[lunatica]

31. The plume as seen from a stationary Satellite over China

edited for spelling

[IndianaGreen]

32. But Bobby JIndal is against Obama spending money on volcano monitoring

Of course, Jindal doesn't have volcanoes in his state. What can we expect from a man that claims to know when someone is possessed by evil spirits.

[alfredo]

33. I know how to get even with him. Rebuild New Orleans, and repopulate

it with Democrats. bush and his buddies knew that the key to making Louisiana a solid Republican state was to let New Orleans die.

[Doctor_J]

34. Where's Barbie? DC making a show of refusing money?

Campaign stop in the Bible Belt? NY appearing on Fixed News?