Mount Redoubt Volcano Alaska

Over the last several months there has been an increase in seismic activity with numerous small earthquakes within the volcano. Beginning last Sunday night there has been a series of eruptions. One on Thursday sent an ash cloud over 65,000 feet into the air. The last time the volcano had erupted was during a four-month period in late 1989 and early 1990.


Winds over the last few days has mainly blown towards the north sending a light coating of ash into the interior but after a couple more blasts yesterday the winds have shifted towards the east and southeast sending ash into Soldotna and Homer.


So far Anchorage has been spared with only minor ash fall into the city and it has been mixed with snow. There were two more eruptions this afternoon at 5:35 pm and 7:25 pm again causing a disruption of air travel throughout the state.












Mount Redoubt bellows steam and ash, seen from across the Cook Inlet in Ninilchik, Thursday, March 29, 2009.


Ash can cause severe and sudden wear to jet engines and other mechanical devices. During Redoubt's last eruption cycle 19 years ago, a KLM jetliner lost power to all four engines when it passed through an ash cloud over Alaska. Despite ash that made it nearly impossible to see anything in the cockpit and cabin, the pilots restarted the engines and brought the craft safely down for an emergency landing in Anchorage. The plane, its paint sanded off and hydraulics ruined, was a total loss.


Below the summit heat from the volcano has already melted or evaporated away about one-fifth of Drift Glacier sending melted ice, water and mud flow down the mountainside into Cook Inlet. That's about one-fourth of the glacier that was lost to melting 20 years ago.












Photo courtesy Game McGimsey / A.V.O. / U.S.G.S.


The lower reach of Crescent Glacier and a view down the ash-covered Crescent River Valley is revealed following two morning eruptions of Mount Redoubt volcano Thursday March 26, 2009. Note the ballistic field in lower left of image on the ash-covered glacier.


Ice

Comments

kenju said…
Will the melting ice cause flooding below?
7:15 PM
JeanMac said…
Wow, the power of nature.I hadn't thought the effect on planes.
10:15 AM
Icewind said…
Hi Kenju, There has been flooding down the side of the mountain from portions of Drift Glacier melting. It goes down the mountainside and the only thing there is an oil tank terminal that the oil rigs in Cook Inlet pump to until tankers can load to take south to the lower 48 for refining. They built big dikes around it after the 1989 eruption and it seems to be keeping things from being damaged to the tank farm. There has been minor mud and water on the heliport and around some of the buildings.

Hi Jean, In the 89 eruption a KLM flight flew through the ash cloud losing the engines and dropped 5 miles in altitude before getting them to restart and land safely in Anchorage. That's why they shut down most night flights (cannot see the clouds) and depending on the wind direction other flights as well.

Ice
12:06 AM
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