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Mounting evidence of magma under Washington volcanoes?

01 Nov 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?" asks the psalmist this Sunday, while in the gospel Jesus climbs a mountain to deliver the teachings commonly known as the Beatitudes. Mountains in Washington State may be less welcoming to visitors because of a vast pool of molten rock that could supply magma to three active volcanoes, according to a new study that's causing a stir among scientists. The study concluded that the magma pool under three active volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains--Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams--could be the "most widespread magma-bearing area of continental crust discovered so far." Other scientists, however, dismiss the existence of an underground vat of magma covering potentially hundreds of square miles as "farfetched" and "highly unlikely." Rather than magma heated to 1,300-1,400 degrees, some think it could be water. Even so, the study is another piece of the puzzle as scientists try to understand the deep plumbing of volcanoes and, perhaps eventually, learn how to predict their eruptions better. In the late 1980s scientists discovered a massive underground electromagnetic anomaly known as the Southern Washington Cascades Conductor. However, the two-year study published this week is the first to suggest that it may be the source of magma for Mounts St. Helens, Rainier, and Adams. "We believe our results speak for themselves and are reluctant to extrapolate from the conclusions reached in the paper," Graham Hill, the lead author of the study, said in an email from New Zealand. The study was sponsored by GNS Science, the New Zealand equivalent of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Monash University in Australia. Source: An article by Les Blumenthal for McClatchy Newspapers

washington state cascades mount st helens mount rainier mount adams volcanoes magma southern washington cascades conductor graham hill
Europe struggles to rise above the ashes

25 Apr 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's reading from the Book of Revelation, John has a vision of those "who have survived the time of great distress." Hundreds of thousands of European travelers and others worldwide trying to fly to and from Europe hope that their time of great distress will end at last. An estimated 100,000 European flights had been cancelled in the week since the volcano under Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull glacier began erupting again, spreading a large cloud of dangerous ash and debris into flight paths. A full return to normal flight activity will take days as airlines scramble to get grounded planes into position across the continent and accommodate tens of thousands of passengers left in the lurch by the canceled flights. Airlines which lost an estimated $1.7 billion during the closure accused aviation officials of overestimating the threat from the volcanic ash and imposing a blanket ban on flights unnecessarily. Safety experts and many pilots, however, had urged caution in the face of the potentially devastating effect volcanic ash can have on a plane's ability to operate. Giovanni Bisignani, the head of the International Air Transport Association, called the economic fallout from the six-day travel shutdown "devastating" and urged European governments to examine ways to compensate airlines for lost revenues, as the U.S. government did following the 9/11 terror attacks. He said it would take three years for the industry to recover from the week of lost flying time. Other businesses were hit hard as well. Many carmakers suspended production at certain factories because of interruptions in the supply of parts. Blocked shipments of goods waiting to be flown to Europe were stacked up in countries worldwide, and exporters of fresh flowers and vegetables had to throw away tons of rotting produce that were not sent on time. Eyjafjallajökull continues to erupt, spewing dust and glass particles that could cause jet engines to seize up. Grit continues to drift south and east and air traffic regulators warn restrictions on airspace could be revived. Meteorologists say, however, that the most recent plumes of ash are not reaching the same high altitudes as before and that winds strong enough to disperse the ash could pick up in a few days. Source: Articles by Henry Chu for the Los Angeles Times and Juergen Baetz and Matt Moore for the Associated Press

air travel iceland europe volcanoes eyjafjallajökull
Indonesian volcano claims life of its “spiritual guardian"

31 Oct 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The reading from the Book of Wisdom praises the diversity of God’s creation and promises that all created things, being of God, will be spared. Indonesia was not spared this week from a string of natural disasters that included an earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic eruption. Also not spared was the “spiritual guardian” of the mountain that erupted, who was buried by the mountain’s thick ash while at prayer. Mount Merapi, on the outskirts of the city of Yogyakarta on Java island, first erupted on Tuesday, a day after a tsunami pounded remote islands in western Indonesia. The death toll in the tsunami was near 300, said West Sumatra provincial disaster official Ade Edward. The tsunami, triggered by a 7.5 magnitude quake that struck west of South Pagai, one of the Mentawai islands, flattened several villages and a surf resort. At least 411 people are still missing, Edward said. Indonesians posted tributes via Facebook and Twitter to the volcano’s widely-loved custodian, 83-year old Mbah (grandfather) Maridjan, regarded as a protector who used a combination of Islamic and animist rituals in an effort to keep Mount Merapi under control. The mountain is seen as sacred in the region, the home of ancient Javanese spirits. “Every day will I bless you,” the psalmist promises the Lord this Sunday. For years Maridjan had led ceremonies at the volcano, dispersing rice or flowers in or around the crater in an effort to appease the spirits. Even after an eruption alert was issued and most villagers on the slopes of Mount Merapi had been evacuated, Maridjan stayed put. “I’m so used to being at home, it’s better for me to just stay here and pray,” he said. He was reportedly found dead in a prayer position in his house as rescuers also dug out more than two dozen more victims in the area. Source: Articles by Sunanda Creagh and Olivia Lang for BBC News

earthquake tsunami indonesia volcanoes maridjan yogyakarta mount merapi eruptions