Mount Spurr, a snow-covered volcano located about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northwest of Anchorage, is showing signs of increased activity, raising concerns over a potential eruption in the coming weeks or months, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Recent overflights have detected significantly elevated volcanic gas emissions, prompting experts to suggest that an eruption is increasingly likely, though not guaranteed. The observatory stated that stronger seismic activity, gas emissions, and surface heating would likely precede an eruption, providing days to weeks of additional warning.
Mount Spurr, standing at 11,070 feet (3,374 meters), has two main vents and is one of 53 Alaskan volcanoes active within the past 250 years. While the summit vent last erupted over 5,000 years ago, the Crater Peak vent experienced eruptions in 1953 and three times in 1992. Since then, periods of increased seismic activity have been recorded, including between 2004 and 2006, but no eruptions occurred. In October, the observatory raised Mount Spurr’s alert level from green to yellow due to heightened seismic activity and satellite-detected ground deformation.
The current unrest suggests an eruption similar to those in 1953 and 1992 is the most probable outcome. However, experts acknowledge that activity could subside without an eruption or result in a smaller-scale event.
Previous eruptions lasted between three and seven hours, producing ash columns over 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) high and depositing ash in south-central Alaska. In 1992, Anchorage received about a quarter-inch of ash, prompting residents to stay indoors and wear masks. The ash cloud reached as far as Greenland. Volcanic ash is known to damage aircraft engines, and past eruptions led to temporary airport closures, affecting air travel in a state where many communities rely on aviation due to limited road access. Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport, one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs, could also face disruptions if an eruption occurs.
Source: Swifteradio.com
