![]() The remote data, combined with more than 40 years of familiarity with Erebus, has Kyle fairly confident about the intensity of the recent activity, which he believe is closer to what happened back in 1984. We know nothing, but it is fair to say that these must be throwing lots of bombs.” “The infrasound really does confirm that these are big eruptions,” he added. … It’s probably the best record.Ī graphic shows the changes in Erebus' lava lake level inside the crater between 20. “Those are incredibly valuable,” Kyle said of the data collected by the CTBT infrasound sensor at a place called Windless Bight. A couple of broadband seismometers, which measure and record the size and force of underground energy or seismic waves, are still in service along the flanks of the volcano.ĭata from an infrasound sensor on the nearby ice shelf, used primarily to monitor weapons of mass destruction as part of the international Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), have helped provide a fuller picture of what might be happening until researchers can reach the volcano later this month. So far, Kyle concedes, the evidence is all from remote monitoring. ![]() “Erebus is always having little explosions,” Kyle explained last month during an interview in Denver during the annual Geological Society of America meeting celebrating the science organization’s 125th anniversary. The only other time the volcano has kicked up such a storm in recorded history occurred in 1984, when Erebus launched bombs measuring 10 meters wide and slung them as far as 3 kilometers away from the crater. “We are getting bombs thrown out nearly every day,” Kyle speculated from the size of the seismic signals.Įrebus has slumbered in relative peace since a similar series of eruptions from the latter half of 2005 into 2007. Up to a half-dozen eruptions are occurring almost daily.Ī broadband seismic station called Cones detects a major eruption from Erebus on Oct. Some fall back into the crater, but others are likely landing on the crater rim. “We have huge worries that camera was hit,” he said.Įach eruption throws up to 50 to 100 bombs. Kyle fears an Erebus bomb might have hit the expensive instrument or its power source. A nearby seismic station, which shares the same power source, stopped transmitting data. Additional studies will focus on the witches’ brew of gases that spew out of the crater.Ī top priority is also to recover a thermal infrared camera that sits at the volcano’s rim. It’s alive,” Kyle said.įieldwork this austral summer may include collecting specimens from the bombs – hot molten rocks – that are likely being launched out of the crater and onto the sides of the 3,794-meter-high volcano and mapping their distribution. Now the latest fit from the smoldering volcano has him more eager than ever to return to his field camp at Lower Erebus Hut to monitor the most on-going activity. Kyle is fond of saying that the fact Erebus happens to be located in Antarctica is inconsequential to the long-term monitoring project. Its exceedingly rare lava lake and accessibility from nearby McMurdo Station make it an ideal place to study volcanic processes. The volcanologist has been conducting research on Erebus volcano for more than four decades. A helicopter pilot navigates past Erebus volcano.
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