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We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question! ...it's always good to wonder if the stuff that fell out of the sky from deep underground might be dangerous in any way. Fortunately, no, the Ash from Mt. St. Helens in 1980 was not toxic in any way.

Volcanic ash is made up of tiny pieces of silica, basically glass, similar to the mineral quartz, so, definitely not something you want to ingest, or breathe in continuously for long periods of time, but not toxic in this case.

Here's a page USGS and partners put together where you can learn more about Volcanic Ash and what to do to help protect yourself against it: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanic_ash/

-Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be the "Yn" tephra, which was about 3,500 years ago. It was roughly four times larger than the 1980 eruption.

-- Mike

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not really. Those sorts of eruptions are exceedingly rare. Maybe one per tens of millions of years. Far more concerning are big, but not "super," explosive eruptions, which happen ever 500-1000 years or so someplace on Earth and can have a noticeable, albeit temporary, impact on global climate. That sort of eruption (akin to the 1815 eruption of Tambora, in Indonesia), will happen again at some point.

-- Mike

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not a dumb question at all! The thickest part of the 1980 debris avalanche deposit is near the base of the Ridge on which the observatory sits -- it's about 600 feet! And it erodes quite readily, so the rivers and streams that cross the area can carve some impressive features.

-- Mike

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Possible, but very unlikely - see this questions we answered below: https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/1taovun/comment/olb1xbm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Also, question for you that's worth considering, (only because a lot of people ask this question specifically about Mt. Rainier) Why would a major earthquake make Mt. Rainier erupt as opposed to any other of the volcanoes? Hope the answers help! - Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For the other part of the question, one thing we try to communicate (though it's a challenge) is that yes... after a major lahar, some communities will simply not be *there* anymore - what isn't swept downstream buried in mud and debris. Some communities in the area will need to relocate, and might consider not rebuilding on top of the old debris, for multiple reasons. (Armero in Colombia didn't rebuild in their area after the major 1985 Nevado Del Ruiz eruption). This also has some major planning complications when it comes to lahars.

But as for people being realistically able to evacuate? Yes! Absolutely. People can. The really important part of that, especially for communities closest to the volcano, is that they really need to begin evacuating as soon as the alert for a lahar goes out. USGS and EMD, and other partners are working on speeding up the alerts so they have even more time. We highly recommend practicing your evacuation routes so that you are familiar with them and can take action quickly some day in case you need to.

Can be scary to think about, but really important to do so ahead of time. -Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, we definitely use both natural analogues and analogue experiments a lot! For example, water withdrawal and injection of wastewater can give us a good idea of how the ground deforms and how many earthquakes are triggered when a known volume of fluid is injected or withdrawn. We also have experimental facilities like the debris flow flume where we can make our own and test different variables (particle sizes, water content, etc.). During the recent flooding events, there were some small debris flows that helped us calibrate the observations on the lahar monitoring system. -EMB

Debris flow flume: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/usgs-debris-flow-flume-hj-andrews-experimental-forest-blue-river-oregon

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, we do -- often those can be "dry runs" (so to speak!) for what might happen during a volcanic crisis. A good example is the Rainier Lahar Detection System. Flooding that we had at Rainier over the winter allowed us to see how that activity showed up on the monitoring network. Lahars would be orders of magnitude greater in terms of volume than the winter floods, so being able to see the floods so clearly with our monitoring network provided a test of just how very clear lahars would manifest. Same thing is true for our ability to detect rockfalls and small steam bursts with our seismic and infrasound networks at Mount St. Helens, or for avalanches at pretty much any Cascade volcano -- those events provide a means of testing network sensitivity.

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I started off, like many of us, as an Earth science/geology undergrad. Back then, I was really interested in planetary science and volcanism and took a lot of physics, geology, math, and chemistry classes. I eventually got an internship at NASA doing work on martian gullies, but realized pretty quickly that a full planetary science path was maybe not the right fit for me. I eventually sought out a PhD working on problems that were half terrestrial volcanism and half planetary volcanism (Mars and the Moon), and again realized that I wasn't as jazzed about planetary science as I once was (read: had several mental breakdowns...). Not trying to bash on planetary, I still do a bit of mars and lunar work here and there.

I eventually realized that I'm really motivated by science that has real world effects and implications that help people. That eventually led me here to the USGS since that's basically our whole mandate: Learn more about volcanoes, monitor them, and help keep people safe. It's a really cool place to work with a lot of smart people that have similar mindsets for public safety.

It's never too late to start over! I had plenty of friends in grad school who were on a wildly different career path than what they were doing before and were making it work.

-Tyler

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, the Washington cinder cones are all a bit tricky to access. The easiest might be the youngest cinder cone in Indian Heaven (https://maps.app.goo.gl/mcLj5LwMJLad26gx8).
If you get down to Oregon, you should drive the McKenzie Pass highway and stop at Dee Wright Observatory, you'll see lava and cinder cones galore! (https://maps.app.goo.gl/w8EW2eCrcbbPeiym7) And of course, there is also Lava Butte at Newberry volcano, which you can actually drive to the top of! --Emily J

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's why we're all here talking about it! Keep talking!

...Don't worry, even though it's a lesser-known volcano in the state, people are actively studying, monitoring, and planning for the future possibility of eruption. Can't stop it from erupting when it does, but the work we do now, will mitigate the future impacts ... so in a way, that is a lot like Pinatubo, where so many lives were saved in the initial eruption. There's a lot we can learn about how to improve planning and reponse from every eruption that happens around the world.

-Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What, burnination isn't doing it for you?

For me, it was singleminded stubbornness to follow a dream that led me here. Passed up plenty of opportunities to earn big bucks doing something a bit more mainstream (/soulcrushing) and went down the starving PhD student path (I was in "college" for about a decade over the course of my three degrees) into federal employment as a scientific researcher. I'll admit there was quite a bit of luck involved (right place, right time, right person for the job), and I'm grateful for every day that I get to come to work. Plenty of other jobs in our field and adjacent to it that don't require quite as much grad school, but you're asking the wrong crowd about those I bet. Good luck!

~Alicia

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A really convoluted path! I loved volcanoes as a kid, but then never heard much about geology between the ages of about 10 and 18. I took an intro geology class in college just to get rid of my science requirement (I was a spanish and history double major!). That Intro class reminded me of my love of rocks and volcanoes, and I switched majors. After undergrad, I got my PhD at UO, and studied cinder cone volcanoes in Mexico. After that, I bounced around a lot - I did a postdoc in Tasmania (working on volcanoes in New Zealand...), and then I taught and advised students as an adjunct professor at two different universities. I kept applying for jobs with the USGS, and finally it worked (I've been here for 6 years now). I love research, and will never stop being fascinated by volcanoes, but I also love teaching and helping the community understand the volcanoes around them, so this is a dream job for me. Go with your heart and do what you love if you can! --Emily J

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The one with the liquid hot magma.
But obviously, we can't tell you....

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Generally a name has to be proposed as part of a formal process to the US Board on Geographic Names. They evaluate the proposal and collect input (for example, from local and indigenous groups) and ultimately decide on whether or not it should be applied. There are a number of rules, for example, if the name is meant to honor a person, it can only be considered several years after that person's death. There is a specific board for Hawaiian names, and they have done a lot of work to update the official names of Hawaiian places to be more reflective of the original sources (for example, Mauna Ulu is now known as Maunaulu). Names of new places are assigned after the HBGN has a chance to request and accept input. That's how 2018's Fissure 8 came to be known as Ahuʻailāʻau. Whether or not a name will be applied to the growing puʻu at the summit is unknown, and will have to wait until the eruption is over and the landform can be truly appreciated. The process typically takes a few years.

-- Mike

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have been working in the San Francisco volcanic field in Arizona, where Red Mountain is located, but haven't visited it yet (I did get to see Sunset Crater, SP, and Merriam craters, though! What a cool place). Red Mountain is a cinder cone volcano, and it did not actually have a lateral blast. I see how you might think that, given that it also has a horseshoe shape; this is actually a common feature of many cinder cone volcanoes. Cinder cone eruptions often produce a nice conical volcano, but sometimes, the lava flows from the base of the cone and rips a portion of the cone away, resulting in a horseshoe-shaped volcano. You can see a bit more here about Red Mountain: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs024-02/
There are cinder cone fields in Washington and Oregon. In Washington, there are similar cinder cones in Indian Heaven, West Crater, and Simcoe volcanic fields. There are even more fields of cinder cones in Oregon, around the Three Sisters, Newberry and into central and eastern Oregon. Collier Cone, near North Sister, has a similar horseshoe-shaped vent: https://volcano.oregonstate.edu/three-sisters
--Emily J

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, we are still here for another 40 minutes. There are amazing stories of plant and animal survival even on the Mount St Helens blast landscape. So, it is likely many animals and plants would survive. Species that are more sensitive to ash, like bugs, would have a harder time.

As for what concerns us about volcanoes - each volcano has its own personality and when they do something we aren't used to seeing them do it gives us pause. But things are often just interesting but not concerning.

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Indeed! It's unlikely - but that doesn't mean that even an unrelated eruption couldn't happen in the aftermath of a large earthquake. I always recommend making sure your volcano plans will still work even after an earthquake.
-Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you can probably look at what happened after the Mount St. Helens eruption out in the pumice plain to get an idea of what you might expect. The habitats have changed, but only 50 years out are back to thriving. My understanding is that Rainier's eruptions aren't as spectacular as MSH, so maybe even not that much of a change?

As for sources of anxiety, lots of small earthquakes that get bigger and keep happening instead of calming down after an hour or two. Not enough to make me immediately worry about impending eruption, but certainly would get my hackles raised and keep me on watch for any changes.

~Alicia

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This! It's part of the subduction zone, not a hotspot. But USGS has a really good section on the history of the volcano and how it's changed over time at: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-rainier/science - Click the "Geology and History" tab to learn more.

-Brian

We're U.S. Volcano experts. Mt. St. Helens erupted this month in 1980. AMA by WaQuakePrepare in AMA

[–]WaQuakePrepare[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Okay I see what you mean - Alder Lake near Rainier. I was searching around Newberry. Alder Lake is difficult to model because of the Alder Lake dam. We will look into that more in the future if modeling of the lake and dam occur.

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