March 27, 2009
-
Ashfall — National news sources leave out some details.
Redoubt and the ash-covered
Crescent River Valley, yesterday
Image from AVO/USGS
photographer Game McGimsey
I heard Redoubt mentioned on NPR’s Morning Edition today. They said Anchorage might receive light ashfall from the latest two eruptions this morning — the eleventh and twelfth explosions in the current eruption cycle. It’s true. Anchorage (Alaska’s largest city, and the only part of the state that appears to be real in the minds of many people Outside) is expected to have insignificant trace amounts of ash today.UPDATE As I wrote this, a new report was posted by AVO:2009-03-27 08:46:03An intense seismic signal indicates that another explosive event [#13] began at about 08:40 AM. The event is showing up on several networks. The ash plume is just showing up on radar. Cloud heights TBD since it is still climbing.Photo from KTUU viewer:
Dixie and Dexter on the
Kenai Peninsula yesterday.
What they left out was that the Kenai Peninsula and Susitna Valley are both under ashfall advisories — avoid travel, stay indoors, seal windows and doors, people with respiratory problems bend over and kiss your ass goodbye. Oh well, I do exaggerate with that final bit… we’re just supposed to avoid sticking our noses outdoors, and refrain from physical activity.Drift River Terminal
3/26/09 ADN/AP
A few days ago, I mentioned that nobody is officially divulging how much oil is stored at the Drift River tank farm. This morning’s Coast Guard News (“not endorsed by, affiliated with, or in any way associated with the U.S. Coast Guard or the Department of Homeland Security”) gave a number for this “classified” information that is close to the 5 or 6 million gallon estimate from Cook Inlet Keeper: 6.2 million gallons. They also said:Drift River Terminal has been unaffected by the lahars generated from morning eruptions of Redoubt Volcano today [Thursday]. The tank farm remains free of mud and debris and no oil has been released.??The previous lahar generated Monday deposited mud around the terminal hangar and the landing strip. Some sediment laden water lapped over the tertiary tank containment dike in isolated spots but did not intrude on the secondary containment.
Some water appears to have made it into some of the industrial buildings that house offices, equipment and pumps. The deposits served to direct the latest lahar away from the facility.
The thing about this release that tends to stick in my mind and bother me a bit is those two question marks. I didn’t add them. This is a direct copy-and-paste job from coastguardnews.com.KTUU viewer-supplied
image of ash falling
in Ninilchik yesterday
I tried to call Greyfox and let him know about the ashfall advisories, so he won’t drive and risk damaging his car’s engine, not to mention his own eyes and lungs, but his phone is turned off. What do you want to bet I’ll hear from him in a couple of hours, from the free phone at the library in Big Lake? Let’s hope that the ash misses him. He’s got a show this weekend, and is not likely to let ash keep him from that.He dropped a little message on CallWave for me, before turning his phone off. He was excited because Palin has appointed somebody he knows, to be Alaska’s new Attorney General: Wayne Anthony Ross.
“Theodore Roosevelt once said ‘Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords’ – I subscribe to that philosophy,” Ross said. “I sincerely appreciate the confidence placed in me by Governor Sarah Palin in choosing me to be our new Attorney General. I welcome the chance to now represent the best interests of our beloved state and its citizens. I look forward to working with Governor Palin and the Legislature in the good fight to help our state achieve its full potential.”
As Attorney General, Ross will work with the governor on issues surrounding development of Alaska’s rich natural resources as the state continues its efforts to provide energy security for America and lower energy costs for Alaskans. As Attorney General, Ross also will help the governor protect Alaskans’ right to bear arms, and he will work tirelessly to manage Alaska’s fish and game resources for abundance through science and not politics.
Greyfox and Ross are colleagues of a sort. Wayne is a lawyer by profession, and his avocation is guns. Greyfox has bought guns from him, and has sold knives to him. He’s all a-twitter (and he’ll probably be miffed at me for saying so) that somebody he actually knows is in the government and the news, but he did express some ambivalence about the news. *tehee*
Comments (15)
You live dangerously…maybe everybody up there does…watch for unnecessary wiring around your car’s starter before you put the key in (lol).—Eric
Oh, my — do be careful and stay inside! There were several hundred quakes @ Salton Sea yesterday, and they cancelled things like PTA meetings, etc. No mention today, so hopefully it’s settled down in So. Calif! Stay safe!
@Galileo7 - Any city, with its everyday air pollution and crowds of people wearing perfume, would be dangerous for me. Here, the dangers are infrequent and acute. I’m comfortable with that.
@slmret - One thing I have heard is that many small quakes can relieve pressure that would cause a big quake if it built up over time. But, also, some of the big quakes are preceded by swarms of small ones. I wonder if we will ever find reliable ways to predict earth movements.
I.m not miffed at all–rather I look forward to doing some lobbying this weekend!
Oh, and I heard about the advisory–couldn;’t remember what the heck it MEANT, though–and if it is more or less dire than an alert.
Why the heck can’t they just say “Stay indoors and don’t drive.” They can “advise” my rosy red. . . . . . .
@ArmsMerchant - I hadn’t thought of that. Go for it! ummm… Do you think he’ll be there, and not in Juneau?
Yeah, but I do know better than to address his racist and sexist attitudes. . . . .
Heck, he is in charge of AGCA, the bunch who is sponsoring the show–he’ll be there!
@ArmsMerchant - ”AN ASHFALL ADVISORY MEANS THAT ASH WILL BE DEPOSITED IN THE ADVISORY AREA. PEOPLE IN AREAS OF ASHFALL SHOULD SEAL WINDOWS AND DOORS. PROTECT ELECTRONICS AND COVER AIR INTAKES AND OPEN WATER SUPPLIES. MINIMIZE DRIVING. LISTEN TO YOUR RADIO STATION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.” From NOAA/NWS
@SuSu - There’s quite a controversy as to whether swarms release pressure or add to it — the concern this time is that the swarm is at the end of a fault where it intersects with the San Andreas fault and they’re not sure what effect thee will be on the San Andreas. There is also huge controversy over how public to be with quake predictions — are they helpful, or do they just upset people needlessly when they can’t be accurate as to exact location, magnitude, and time! I have a personal theory that if all the plates are sliding under each other, the earth must be shrinking (albeit very slowly and over a long time), but that eventually it will all implode — lol ! I can’t help but wonder if there’s a connection between our quake swarms and your Mt. Redoubt! Stay safe!
most of us down here who have lived through tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, earthquakes and fires have no idea what it is like to live through a volcano explosion. so take care and know your friends are thinking of you.
@slmret - Oh! But they aren’t all sliding under each other. There are the deep trenches under the oceans, where the plates are spreading apart and new land being “created” by the underwater volcanoes. It’s the force of the upwelling magma in the trenches that is pushing the plates apart. Dry land spreading is occuring in the Great Rift Valley of Africa, too.
There was an eruption off Tonga recently.
Video here.
Story and picture here.
It’s all connected… all one planet.
there are times I wonder about moving out west. Then you have to tell me about Ash fall and earth quakes. 8=o
I was wishing to be away from all the traffic and in the woods.hmmm oh well vices everywhere
Nice that you feel more confident in a new appointee to government out there.
@Ikwa - I don’t think either of us feels “confident” about WAR (Wayne Anthony Ross). Greyfox was just giddy because someone he knows was appointed.
@SuSu - Ok I see hey I was hoping for the best.
“he will work tirelessly to manage Alaska’s fish and game resources for abundance through science and not politics.” I thought that sounded good.
@Ikwa - It does sound good, but it is hard to believe — and really, the AG doesn’t have authority over fish and game. The previous AG resigned, and I’m guessing it was because of Palin’s ethics (she doesn’t have any). I don’t know what WAR will do, except I’m pretty sure we’re safe from any form of gun control. He is president of AGCA, Alaska Gun Collectors Association, the group that sponsors the biggest gun shows in the state.