As of this day, Thursday, July 10, 2008 09:22 PDT.

Mt. St. Helens Volcano has been downgraded to the equivalent of the old 'Inactive Status'

This is the first time it has been downgraded to this level since its initial activity started in November 1979 and its subsequent eruption on May 18th, 1980.

On my other St. Helens update Thread I said if the low activity had not changed by October I'd go out on a limb and say the Volcano was finished.

Looks like USGS beat me to the punch!

Looks like she is officialy going back to sleep. Although this doesn't mean an end to the hazards. Lahars and Avalances can still happen for years to come.

The only question remaining, is will she stay asleep this time?

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

The question is not stay asleep, but for how long will she sleep?

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Microsoft is over if you want it.

The bar has been lowered for the promotion of ATM ideas; the bar for the acceptance of ATM ideas must remain high.

I would add: is anyone else waking up?

My thoughts exactly.
Once again dgavin, thanks for all the updates.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

Well I was mean stay asleep as in this part of it cyclic eruptive history might be done.

But good point. If the mountain followers her patterns, and she is done this cycle, then we can expect the next eruption about 220 years from now.

Chaitén, Chile woke a bit over a month ago, and destroyed the town of Chaitén

I'm planning to start a new thread coving items with St. Helen's now that the cycle is possibly finished.

Thinking of starting that Thread with chronological links to all the other St. Helen's threads that have been going on around baut for years.

So I'm not planning on quitting with the updates, just might not be as much to update about!

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Thank you Mr. Gavin.

I've always read your updates here.

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Gimme a minute to read through Jay's latest observations...

There's an odd smoke/dust/cloud plume on the lower slopes right now.

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocam...va-highdef.php

I'm taking a few screen caps for posterity. It's probably just be a rockslide, but still cool.

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"Probably the last sound heard before the universe folded up like a paper hat would be someone saying 'What happens if I do this?'"

"Have you ever tried going mad without power? It's boring. Nobody listens to you."

Official news from USGS was posted today.

Posting the text here with reference link as sometimes USGS dynamically changes thier pages.

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Thanks for the update, dgavin. Growing up in western Oregon in the '80's fostered an interest in Mt. St. Helens. I've been watching your threads for years, especially since I'm 2,000 miles away now, but my family isn't.

Appricate the feedback! I've learned a lot myself since joining the posts in 2001. They just seems to transition over to my plate over time.

I'm actualy able to understand some of the deeper science behind it all now a days, although I'm not capable enough in the math arena to consider going pro.

Anyway some more images from last week.

I'll keep updates in this thread until my october time line is reached, then will pick them up in the after cycle thread I started.

Rock Slides and Glacier Melts!

A real Rock and Roll, serious Flow Party (close up)!

Big Toe, Middle Toe, and Little Toe. Thats a lot of glacier toes

West Crate Wall, with Yellow Iron Florides and Pink Dacite's towards the top

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

And maybe it isn't done. I saw a blurb on a seismograph station earlier today about bad data due to an Ongoing Eruption.

However I checked the crater cam's and there is no sign of one.

The Seismographs however showed an increased amount of activity today, including about a 20 minute long harmonic tremor about 2 hours ago.

So maybe she is just snoring?

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Back in the early 90's while on a field trip to Mt. St. Helens one of the profs suggested that Mt. Baker would be the next one to go. Never asked why at the time - I suspect it may have just been an educated guess at best.

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Earth First! We'll mine the rest later.

Hi, Perhaps some historial ledgend held that Mt. Baker blew it's stack after Mt. St. Helens did......several hundred years ago. I wonder what is in the geological record in comparison.
Best regards, Dan

Ahh well actually Mt. Baker isn't one of the Cyclic volcano's.

Here is a graphic of hsitorical eruptions. http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/...coverphoto.jpg

The most likely Places for the next activity based on recent seismograph readings.

#1. Three Sisters Oregon - 2004 Earth quake swarm, followed by continual ground uplift and motion since. 80% chance in next 100 years.

#2. Maupin OR. Constant daily earthquake activity for last year, at 10 to 12 miles depth, possibly due to Magma Intrusion ongoing. 30% Chance in next 200 years of new volcano or cindercone forming.

#4. Seamount Axial Oregon/Intl. - Ongoing Rift Shield vulcanism, 20% chance of massive underwater Plinian or Caldera collapse eruption in next 400 years.

#5. Mt. Ranier Washington - Currently quiet, 95% chance of some kind of activity in next 100 years, such as a Lahar.

#6. Medicine Lake California - Ongoing high Level CO2 Emiisions, Tree Kill Area. 25% chance of eruption in next 200 years

#7. Crater Lake Oregon - Ongoing Thermal increase of water 1 degree (F) per year for last 2.5 decades. 5% chance of eruption in next 200 years. Lake rarely freezes over due to high tempetures (50+) even though at Permafrost/Glacier altitudes.

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Wow - I had no idea that a plinian/caldera collapse eruption could occur with an undersea rift. I had no idea there were any calderas associated with submarine rifts.

Fascinating few years, watching the process of the mountain rebuilding itself.
Is the steam just residual heat in the pile, which will slowly dissapate?

Wonder how long till she awakens again? There's a lot of stuff on top of the vent now, the next one might not be quite so gentle.

Thanks for the great thread.

Glad so many people have enjoyed the threads. To answer your questions.

Yes, the heat will remain in the dome for quite some time to come, even if the mountain has truly gone to sleep. Could take a decade or two to cool down to the point the steam emissions stop completely.

If the mountain is done, then the next eruption of it can be expected on average every 250 years. So about 220 years from now.

It's still not certain she's gone completely asleep so it might still surprise us.

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"There is no problem that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives" - US Army Demolitions School

http://worldsofothersuns.home.comcast.net/

Yes. I've enjoyed the updates. Thank you.

Mt. Baker was widely expected to be the next eruption back in the late 1970's -- in fact just before Mt. St. Helens started up. I have a vague recollection of a warm acid lake existing at the summit for a while. There were pretty steady steam emissions from the summit which alarmed some folks -- I took to calling it "Mt. Steamer".

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