Charles - what about Mt.Helen?

[Jaga]

Charles,

maybe you have fogg in your area (Washington state) and allergies because of the Mount Helen and its possible eruptions? Please, update us about the situation in your part of the world!

[bescheid]

Jaga

Your question of Mount Helen is mirrored vastly by the population here. It is still active and growing. No one knows what is in the black heart of a volcano, but the siesma graph readings come and go, as so also, the enterer dome.

The main (so far) emissions are water vapour and some dust. The prevailing wind shift, seems to mainly carry the emissions East and over the Cascade Mountain range. The wind blow, is from the West (ocean) and as it rises in an easterly direction to pass over the mountains, it dries the air and releases a certain amount of ash and mainly condensed moisture to form, rain.

www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/

We (north of the Olympia area) are far enough north, that the volcano emissions are not a problem here. The problem here is this though: High density traffic (tire dust and carbon particles), passing heavy turbine powered aircraft at medium and low altitudes, are they main culprit for our particular air problems. This and the usual still air basin effects of holding levels of carbon monoxide.

This area by its nature, is prone to frequent small earth quakes. The area is hemmed in by the sea on one side, a coastal area (where we live) and the mountain range (cascades) The mountains are high and erode one inch per year into the sea, the sediment then becomes heavy enough to push out through the coastal plain pushing the mountains up as a buckling process.

My allergies:

With a window cracked open just even a bit, carbon dust and what ever else out there, will begin to show on the sill as black dirty dust.

I like the fresh air, and Anne hates because it lets out the heat and the cold in. So when she is gone, window open, when she returns, window closed..

My allergies, I would truly like to blame it on the volcano, but, truth is: it is the high level of mold and mildew brings on the sensitivity. Until we have the opportunity to relocate else where (for now, this coming February), it should be north to the Mount Vernon/ concrete area. I hope. Then, it is my since hope and trust, this (allergies) will in self heal.

Charles

[Bob S]

Hello Charles. Ther was a report on the TV today that Mt. ST. Helan was active again but no one knew if it would erupt once more.

[bescheid]

Hi Bob

I have not turned on the TV yet, perhaps I should. The news people keep bring up the mountain situation for every tremor. It is though, on a steady scale, building up from the centre as a growing dome. I think what the news people may have been broadcasting about, is some very large rocks worked loose on the crater edge, and caused a rock slide, this in turn, caused a large dust cloud.

You know the news people, any thing to make a story, any thing to make a buck.

No jesting aside though, any volcano is dangerous, and this one is not an exception. We have several volcanoes in the region that form a chain. All are active to some degree, but St Helens is the only one in recent times that has blown its lid.

My general concerns would be a change in wind direction and having the thing go active with heavy dust concentration over our area. This or heavy basalt extrusions flowing our direction.

Charles

[Bob S]

You do not fool around with Mother Nature but news reporters are a different story. I suggest that the residents of your area give those news reporters a Damage Control plug and then have the news reporter try to cap that beast
Charles. for your sake and the sake of the others around you, I do hope that the monster remains quiet and peaceful.

[bescheid]

Bob

Missed your post, I escaped out of the apartment for a walk. My 1 hour two mile, if I do not wast time talking to neighbors and petting dogs.

Yes, some of the TV stations here are very focused on keeping the line with local and state government. When the tax lady (our new governor) arrived into office. To fix the loused budget short fall. She placed into effect without voters approval, a 9 cent gasoline tax over a three year period. This, at a very bad time with our currant high gasoline price increases.

Well, the TV stations placed the doom and gloom of highway construction failure if the tax increase was not to be later approved, Then, of several very large highway projects including a floating bridge, will have to be replaced depending upon of course, the tax increase.

The TV stations in question, are located in Seattle. The vested interest situation here, is very obvious. With some exceptions. We have some good thinkers out there in government, but, the Might Makes Right principal comes into play. Those people are then over rode, so to say.

Currently now, it is beginning to sink in with the TV stations. People are paying the high price increase for their gasoline, and saving on other areas of spending. Now with the Christmas season approaching, the retail industry are crying foul.

There is a big push now for civil emergency procedures and installation of warning systems. The money is not there. They (local and state government) do not have tax money to cover the cost. Unless the federal government will sponsor with grant money. Then, there must be demonstrated, a real and eminent danger posed by this volcanoes. At present, that has not been demonstrated.

Several small communities within the 10 mile radius of Mt Rainer have currant installed emergency sirens at present. They have been tested and do work. This system for a warning evacuation signal would work for the small village locations. But, when the population density of locations of the Seattle metropolitan area is considered. The transportation systems of private and public means, will not support civil evacuation. It will jam up and trap people on the roadways and bridges. With exception of perifial populations, if the severity of a volcano were to encompass such a magnitude. It would be the core populations that would suffer.

The above doom and gloom is a fact that is known by the military and law enforcement. It is just not made public for understandable reasons. Most studies were completed for such a disaster but dealing with a nuclear strike. In that instance of a disaster scenario, a difference would be in of course the ground zero blast, but, also the blast radiation and effect upon all electronic communications. It would in that case encompass a regional black out for a time. Most military communication systems are now shielded.

I tend to believe the best protection from such a situation is not to live in this area. But who knows, it would be just my luck to get hit on the head by a miss guided golf ball while mowing my lawn.

Charles

[Bob S]

I think that no matter where you live you are confronted by some natural disaster or another. The problem is that when you are confronted by a natural disaster there are always the home-brew type (like politicians) that compound the problem. In your case it is a gGovernor that believes All problems can be resolved with a tax increase rather than a tax decrease. Like all politicians I think your Governor did not take Economics or skipped class when the course was given.
I am scratching my head and wondering how sirens will scare a volcano into submission ;D. In addition to the Damage Control Plugs, maybe you could chuck a few Kook Environmentalists into that monster to appease the spirits of the mountain LOL ;D and maybe the Governor too. still LOL ;D

[bescheid]

Bob,

The sirens, would you suppose that would work on a volcano? Some what as of the ancient Israelis, when they destroyed the walls of Jericho using trumpets in the old testament?

Charles