We have a fair number of volcanoes out our back door that should they blow will make St. Helens look like child’s play. Mt. Rainier is a serious threat but Glacier Peak which I look at almost daily from my place is the one that I worry about.
A rather timely article about Glacier Peak…
https://www.q13fox.com/news/scienti...at-very-high-threat-of-volcanic-eruptionThe Pacific Northwest is enchanted by nearly a dozen majestic volcanoes that shape the landscape, however, there is concern over a volcano that lacks eruption monitors to predict when it might blow up.
Glacier Peak in Snohomish County is currently at a "very high" threat for eruption -- the top classification of threat levels, according to federal scientists. Currently, there is only one seismometer on the volcano to detect movement.
"You might ask why? Why is there only one seismometer at this volcano that is active and is very high threat level? Well, it’s very remote. It is in the middle of a designated wilderness, and beyond that, the area around it is wilderness," said Weston Thelen of USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory. "So, trying to get the data from the volcano out to a place where we can then download it and get it onto our computers is very difficult."
Thelen is a research seismologist for the observatory. He said the agency made a proposal to the federal government, asking to replace the current seismometer and add four more. He said the tools are critical in collecting the most accurate data and motion.
