Possible new underwater volcano off WA coast

[beskeptical]

First there were several mag. 4 quakes off Vancouver Is, Canada, which I think are in the same area but I haven't confirmed that yet. Then this news report came last night. This is exciting but it will be a while before we get any scientific reports. There have been other volcanoes at the San Juan de Fuca plate edge. But it is always exciting to have a new one as each time we seem to have better monitoring equipment.

On board the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson, a scientific rapid response team was en route Saturday to check out some underwater earthquakes.

"We've had about 3,000 earthquakes reported," said Dr. Ed Baker of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The scientists believe an underwater volcano is erupting along the undersea Juan De Fuca Ridge, some 300 miles off the coast of Neah Bay.

The underwater earthquake swarm began last weekend and scientists say it produced nearly 1,500 small quakes in the first 36 hours.

News report (http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_030505WABunderwaterquakesEL.10c7615d4.html) requires free subscription, IE free sign up. But no need as the story has no additional info.

[Donnie B.]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

[tmosher]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?

[beskeptical]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?Well that hasn't seemed to have affected the price of land in California. :P

[tmosher]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?Well that hasn't seemed to have affected the price of land in California. :P

Well...California is a little less wet than the potential off-shore real estate.

[TriangleMan]

Would the volcano be in US or Canadian territory?

[gethen]

From what I've read, the Pacific Northwest is as vulnerable to earthquakes and other catastrophic events as California is. Being at the boundary of a continental and a Pacific plate is very helpful if you want to build a new volcano. Fascinating story. I'll be watching the news for more.

[tmosher]

Would the volcano be in US or Canadian territory?

It would be Canada's.

However, that area has calmed down. The activity is now off the coast of Oregon. In the last two days there has been a 4.3, 4.7, 5.1, and 5.2 off the coast of Oregon.

[Moose]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?Well that hasn't seemed to have affected the price of land in California. :P

Well...California is a little less wet than the potential off-shore real estate.

Are you kidding? Ocean access property is very nearly a license to print money. [-(

[jofg]

Is this a sign of future activity/trouble for the Pacific Coast? Does this increased activity make it more likely there will be a major "event" in a current, active volcano (Mt. St. Helen's for example) or along a major West Coast / Alaskan fault line? Or is there little geological relationship here?

Just trying to separate the woo-woo warnings from the scientific facts! :roll:

[Madcat]

I don't know, but it would be neat if there's a hydrothermal vent out there. Those are great! :)

[tmosher]

Pretty much normal goings on for that region of North America.

Historically, the areas are active.

Coast of Oregon (http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/neic_viar_h.html)

Coast of Vancouver (http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/neic_vcbg_h.html)

Within a 100 km radius of one of the Vancouver quakes, there has been 345 earthquakes 2.6 and greater since 1973 (NEIC catalog search).

[beskeptical]

I don't know, but it would be neat if there's a hydrothermal vent out there. Those are great! :)There is a whole ridge of vents (http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/) out there.

[beskeptical]

Is this a sign of future activity/trouble for the Pacific Coast? Does this increased activity make it more likely there will be a major "event" in a current, active volcano (Mt. St. Helen's for example) or along a major West Coast / Alaskan fault line? Or is there little geological relationship here?

Just trying to separate the woo-woo warnings from the scientific facts! :roll:While the volcanoes are all related to plate movement, these underwater eruptions are from the plate's edge where it is spreading apart. The Cascade volcanoes are the result of the subducting edge of the plate re-melting as it sinks below the Earth's crust. The plate movement is somewhat constant so this doesn't represent an increase in activity.

There have been frequent undersea volcanoes in this region. NOAA and the U of WA researchers are hoping to view one in action. So far, they've gotten there after the fact.

[jofg]

Guess I can restow my "go bag" for now!

:D

[teddyv]

Would the volcano be in US or Canadian territory?

It would be Canada's.

However, that area has calmed down. The activity is now off the coast of Oregon. In the last two days there has been a 4.3, 4.7, 5.1, and 5.2 off the coast of Oregon.

If its 300 miles off the coast, it would be in international waters. Until it breaches surface (probably unlikely) and someone claims.

[Lurker]

This is old news... It's already been covered in this extremely informative thread over over on glp... 8)
US Scientific SWAT Team Monitoring Offshore Quakes (http://www.godlikeproductions.com/bbs/message.php?message=86462&topic=3&showdate=3/7/05)

[sidmel]

Gasp...when will I ever learn not to click on GLP links. I think my brain just became a bit more stupid.

[Doodler]

Gasp...when will I ever learn not to click on GLP links. I think my brain just became a bit more stupid.

I dunno, the laugh I got about the platoon sergeant and the lieutenant showing off with his pistol was worth the exposure to insanity.

[Lurker]

Gasp...when will I ever learn not to click on GLP links. I think my brain just became a bit more stupid.
Sorry.... sorry... my fault... that was blatant case of entrapment. :oops:

Who am I kidding!! I'd do it again!!! \:D/

[Gillianren]

I went to college here in Olympia, at the scenic Evergreen State College. I was in our poorly-designed dorms when the Nisqually quake hit.

since then, I've become very, very good at explaining plate tectonics to out-of-state students, especially ones from (in the case of one of my friends) Minnesota. unfortunately, I can't deliver the speech to full effect here, because I use my hands to symbolize the plates.

long story short, the Juan de Fuca plate is slowly disappearing under the North American plate. my geology teacher seemed pretty sure it would never completely go under, but that's what's causing the majority of seismic activity around here.

[Lurker]

I went to college here in Olympia, at the scenic Evergreen State College. I was in our poorly-designed dorms when the Nisqually quake hit.

since then, I've become very, very good at explaining plate tectonics to out-of-state students, especially ones from (in the case of one of my friends) Minnesota. unfortunately, I can't deliver the speech to full effect here, because I use my hands to symbolize the plates.

long story short, the Juan de Fuca plate is slowly disappearing under the North American plate. my geology teacher seemed pretty sure it would never completely go under, but that's what's causing the majority of seismic activity around here.

Yeah... And a lot of the lighter elements that have been subducted have risen through the upper mantle and continental crust to form the Cascade range. It's one of the really cool natural laboratories of the world. :)

I'd love to see the full lecture with the hands and everything. Living through something like that to generate a healthy respect for nature and lots of interest in how it works.

[publiusr]

Surtsey II

[frogesque]

Surtsey II

Linky (http://www.vulkaner.no/v/volcan/surtsey_e.html)

[Nicolas]

and our government claims that 25% of ozone gasses is emitted by household fires in the garden? :lol: (http://www.vulkaner.no/v/volcan/island/Surtsey_11.jpg)

[beskeptical]

Surtsey II

Linky (http://www.vulkaner.no/v/volcan/surtsey_e.html)There is an incredible amount of stuff on that site. The volcano is incredible but what I found most interesting was how the island evolved to what it is today. The rounded boulders on the beach are fascinating, (how they evolved to be there, not just that they are round rocks).

[sidmel]

Gasp...when will I ever learn not to click on GLP links. I think my brain just became a bit more stupid.
Sorry.... sorry... my fault... that was blatant case of entrapment. :oops:

Who am I kidding!! I'd do it again!!! \:D/

Iz all right, had a night of sleep and an ice cream sandwhich. Brain seems to have sustained no permanent damage.

[hewhocaves]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?

I like making strawberry dacharies. If I move there, I won't need a blender

John

[Moose]

Would it be too speculative to invest in real estate on the new volcanic island that may form? :wink:

Would you want real estate in an area that has had a 4.8, 4,7, and 5.1 earthquake in the last week?

I like making strawberry dacharies. If I move there, I won't need a blender


Shaken, not stirred?

[A Thousand Pardons]

FYI, Daiquiri is a town in Cuba, the drink is named after it

[hewhocaves]

FYI, Daiquiri is a town in Cuba, the drink is named after it

no problem. i claim absolute laziness insofar as looking up the correct spelling. Just as I lay claim to complete laziness in changing my previous post.

I hadn't realized about the town in Cuba bit - that's interesting.

here's a couple of links for some background info on the topic....

USGS page for Juan de Fuca Plate (http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/JuanDeFucaRidge/description_juan_de_fuca.html)

Axial Seamount info (http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1301-011)

Axial seems to be the submarine volcano nearest the seurface and its stil -1400 m. So we have a bit of a wait.

John

[beskeptical]

here's a couple of links for some background info on the topic....

USGS page for Juan de Fuca Plate (http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/JuanDeFucaRidge/description_juan_de_fuca.html)

Axial Seamount info (http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1301-011)

Axial seems to be the submarine volcano nearest the seurface and its stil -1400 m. So we have a bit of a wait.

JohnI have been trying to sort the events out here and from reading the updates on the 'Vents' web site I think I have it figured out.

There was an EQ swarm off Vancouver Island first. That is where the RV Endeavor went. The quakes subsided and they have found no volcanic activity yet and now don't expect to.

While this was going on another batch of quakes occurred off the Oregon coast which didn't include an actual 'swarm' but did have several high 4s and low 5 magnitude quakes. Quakes along the entire ridge are very common including mag 4 and 5 so it wasn't that unusual. There was no mention on the Vents site that any volcanic activity was suspected here.

If anyone else thinks this account isn't right by all means speak up. I have been annoyed from the start that none of the reports clarified the north and south EQ clusters and which was which as far as the 'swarm' was concerned.

[Lurker]

I have been over at GLP!! We're in the end times that have been Prophesied!! :o

:wink:

[hewhocaves]

vaguel on-topic

TDC is doing a volcano special tonight (saturday) at 9pm EST

http://dsc.discovery.com/schedule/episode.jsp?episode=0&cpi=30430&gid=0&channel=DSC