Latest Eruption column Stories

Scientists who have just returned from an expedition to an erupting undersea volcano near the Island of Guam report that the volcano appears to be continuously active, has grown considerably in size during the past three years, and its activity supports a unique biological community thriving despite the eruptions.An international science team on the expedition, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), captured dramatic new information about the eruptive activity of NW...

Residents of Alaska's largest city near Mount Redoubt are being forced to take strong measures due to the irritation caused by volcanic ash spewing from the volcano's top, the Associated Press reported.Those near the volcano occasionally have to wear air-filtration masks and stretch panty hose over the air intake of cars and trucks.Anchorage resident Brad Sandison, a retired truck driver and avid cyclist who carries a face mask and goggles whenever he rides near the volcano, said he is losing...

"It's very fine but angular "“ the sharp edges make it feel gritty and abrasive.""It can cause short circuits and failure of electronic components ... and physical damage to equipment.""It's much more abrasive than sand....scratches anything that comes in contact....""...a real nuisance....stuck to everything "“ equipment, instruments,...likely to penetrate seals,....plugs bolt holes, fouls tools, ....."These quotes seem to all refer to the same...

Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano is expected to erupt at any time now and scientists are keeping a watchful eye on the volcano's hour-to-hour activity.The Alaska Volcano Observatory told CNN news that Redoubt's seismic activity level of has increased markedly in recent days at the 10,197-foot peak located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, the state's most populous city.Peter Cervelli, a research geophysicist with the observatory, is keeping a watchful eye on the volcano."We don't have a...

The Alaskan Volcano Observatory says Mount Redoubt is rumbling and an eruption of the 10,917-foot peak could occur within days. Mount Redoubt, located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, last erupted between December 1989 and April 1990, the Anchorage Daily News reported Monday. A nearly continuous volcanic tremor was recorded Sunday at stations near Redoubt's summit, prompting AVO to raise the Aviation Color Code to orange and the alert level to watch, the report said. The current...

Reports of unusually fiery orange sunsets on Earth and ruby red rings around the planet Venus have popped up on the Internet in the last week. Some skywatchers suspect that these views are being colored by the dust and gases injected into the atmosphere by the Aug. 7 eruption of Alaska's Kasatochi volcano. The skywatchers are probably right. Kasatochi, part of the Aleutian Island chain, sent an ash plume more than 35,000 feet (10,600 meters) into the atmosphere when it...

Thousands of air travelers have been stranded in Alaska by an ash plume from three volcanoes in the Aleutians, an airline official says. Kasatochi began showing signs of life last week, while Okmok and Mount Cleveland have also been threatening eruption. A wind change Sunday sent the ash plume into commercial air routes, KTNA reported. Caroline Boren, a spokeswoman for Alaska Airlines, the carrier worst affected by the plume, told the Anchorage Daily News it is especially hazardous at night...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Ash from a steadily erupting volcano in south-central Alaska wafted slowly toward the southern Kenai Peninsula and grounded flights to and from Kodiak Island on Monday. Scientists reported that hot, gaseous pyroclastic flows were seen coursing down the volcano's slopes.Augustine Volcano's eruption at 6:48 a.m. marked the fourth straight day of eruptions and generated an ash plume reaching almost five miles into the skies above Cook Inlet.The ash was moving east and...

ANCHORAGE (AP) -- Scientists continue to monitor two volcanoes that the Alaska Volcano Observatory says could send dangerous ash into the air at any time. Mount Spurr, 80 miles west of Anchorage across Cook Inlet, shook itself from a 12-year sleep in early July and has been in Code Yellow status ever since, with daily small earthquakes. Code Yellow indicates an eruption is possible and could occur with no warning, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Mount Veniaminof, about 500 miles...