Geologists are closely monitoring Mount Spurr in the Aleutian Arc of Alaska , USA , after continued volcanic unrest . The Alaska Volcano Observatory ( AVO ) monitoring the situation say that an eruption is potential in the coming days and calendar week .
Mount Spurr is an ice and nose candy - coveredstratovolcano coordination compound , meaning that it is a expectant , cone - form volcano take shape by lava flows , pyroclastic deposits , mudflow deposits , andlava domes . The vent has erupted twice in recorded history : once in 1953 and once in 1992 . These eruptions came from the Crater Peak flank vent 3.5 klick ( 2 mi ) in the south of the tip ’s acme , rather than from Mount Spurr itself .
" These eruptions were comparatively low but explosive , and they dispersed volcanic ash over area of interior , due south - primal , and southeastern Alaska . Individual ash swarm produced by the 1992 eruption drifted east , north , and Dixie . Within a few day of the irruption , the in the south - moving ash cloud was detected over the North Atlantic , " the US Geological Survey ( USGS)explainsof the vent .
" Pyroclastic flowing that descended the south wing of Crater Peak during both historic eruptions initiated volcanic - debris flows or lahar that formed irregular junk dams across the Chakachatna River , the master drain in the south of Crater Peak . prehistorical clap of Crater Peak and Mount Spurr engender swarm of volcanic ash , pyroclastic period , and lahar that extended to the volcano flanks and beyond . "
Since April 2024 , there has been an growth in the routine of earthquake detected beneath the volcano , to around 30 a hebdomad . While this does n’t necessarily indicate an blast is imminent , body process increase again in October 2024 , and between then and February 6 , there have been around 125 earthquakes detected beneath the vent per workweek . The largest of these , detected on January 2 , was of order of magnitude 2.9 .
" The current unrest at Mount Spurr strongly suggests that newfangled magma has intruded into the impertinence beneath the volcano , " AVO said in a February 6statement .
AVO believes that a few scenario are possible , given the recent activity . One is that no magma reach the surface , and the earthquakes subside over the course of several months .
Another is that there is an volcanic eruption similar in magnitude to the 1953 and 1992 eruptions . This scenario would see " one or more explosive events hold out one or a few hour [ that ] would produce ash cloud carried windward for hundred of Swedish mile , and the uninhabited area around Mount Spurr would be inundated by pyroclastic period , mudflows ( lahar ) , and ballistic showers . "
The first two scenarios are consider to be as potential at this time . A further , though less likely , scenario is that there is an eruption at the summit of Mount Spurr itself .
" An irruption from the summit blowhole of Mount Spurr could come , though there have been none in historical times , " AVO explained . " Such an volcanic eruption would belike be volatile and may also imprint lava flows . A summit eruption also would in all probability evaporate large volumes of glacial ice , which could head to lahar and other hydrologic hazards . "
Thankfully , there are no nearby towns or cities that would be in the track of pyroclastic stream and mudflows . However , the pencil lead of AVO , Matt Haney of the USGS , toldLive Sciencethat an eruption could cause disruption for flights in the region .
The squad continues to monitor activity at the volcano using webcams , a seismic connection , ground deformation stations , and infrasound sensor . More datum will hopefully say us whether aneruptionis indeed close at hand .
