I was thinking more along the lines of girl not falling into lava but home being washed by it... or whatever ;-)

Houses usually spontaneously combust when the lava approaches because of the intense heat...Then the lava paves over the entire place so nothing is left which is recognizable as having once been a home, yard, garden or proptecting wall around the place. It is urban renewal on a scale never imagined until you actually see it!

From Reuters Nwews Service Send Page Thursday - 20:57 11/04/99, EST Mexican Volcano Shoots Smoke High Into The Sky MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano sprang to life Thursday morning after months of dormancy, sending smoke two miles into the sky, officials said. ``Today, at 11:10 a.m. there was a moderately significant exhalation, lasting 19 minutes, that produced a smoke column of two to three kilometers in height,'' the Interior Ministry said in a statement. A series of tremors were also felt Wednesday at the volcano, 40 miles southeast of Mexico City, from where 18 million residents can sometimes see the volcano through the smog. Ash was expected to rain on nearby communities. Mexico City airport was placed on alert and some flights were delayed, airport officials said. The government said there had been no significant change in activity at the volcano, and that a yellow alert remained in place, prohibiting access within a three-mile radius. A yellow alert means that Popocatepetl, which last provoked safety warnings in February, could erupt in weeks or months but probably no sooner.

On the best kids volcano site this letter and answer (by a Geologist I know personally!!!)http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/frequent_questions/grp13/question2153.html dear srs: if the Popocatepetl volcano eruption could lava arrive to Mexico City? Alessandra Hi Alessandra, No, there won't be any lava from Popocatepetl getting to Mexico City. Popocatepetl does not produce very much lava and that which it does produce is very viscous and slow-moving. Instead of flowing down the slopes it piles up into what is called a dome. Popocatepetl is much more likely to produce explosive eruptions. These have already managed to spread ash all the way to Mexico City, but the effects were not particularly serious. The biggest danger is from pyroclastic flows and lahars. These are an immediate threat to the towns on the slopes of the volcano itself, and in the worst case scenario might affect Puebla, but not Mexico City. Sincerely, Scott Rowland

Well, it worked in Drool - guess I'll have to hunt thru telnet tomorrow te see what went wrong with your post here. Hmmm...thought we had it fixed!

did you guys notice the forgotten forget button has been remembered and is now part of the conference? (just thought i'd throw that in since every topic in this place is concerned about the fogotten forget button *grin*)

Yes, we did indeed see that. It is mentioned somewhere in this conference. Thanks for such lovely eruption buttons - I smile every time I come in here and admire them. I especially love the one without the frame.

so do i! *smile*

*sigh*

Why aren't the others made frameless as well?

Because Wolfie and I do not know how to do it. Only cfadm does, and he's not telling.

we have found a program online (nothing to download) which will make your frames transparent or even different colors and reword your buttons. Very nice, Indeed. That is why they look gettr ( make that better) than before, but I need the font and size of same before I can change the interiors - which I now have to bother Wolfie about now...

The latest update on the Kilauea Eruption which began on January 4, 1983... 0645, January 5, 2000 Eruptive conditions are little changed from those of yester- day. The ocean entries at the Lae`apuki bench continue to be active. Lava continues to spread across the surface of the west flow above and below Paliuli. The east arm of the east flow remains active above Pulama pali. This morning at 0550, at least four clusters of entry points were feeding lava into the ocean from the front of the Lae`apuki bench. There was, in addition, one sluggish cascade over the old sea cliff near the west end of the new bench. Surface breakouts of pahoehoe toes continue just inland of the bench. Much of the surface of the flow directly above the old sea cliff has been renewed in the past several days. Predawn glow this morning shows continued movement of the reactivated part of the old easternmost flow. The location of the glow suggests that the flow is active between about 1600 and 1100 feet elevation, above the top of Pulama pali. At least two small vents in the crater of Pu`u `O`o are glowing this morning, but there is no flow or pond in the crater. Seismic tremor near Pu`u `O`o is weak, and the tilt at Kilauea summit is flat.

Hello, my dear! I finally made it...Do you know where to find a picture of the Irazu volcano in Costa Rica? My brother was just there, and he says it's beautiful. I've never seen a volcano in real life (my country is mercifully deprived of them), so pictures will have to do. ;-D

I did an altavista image search and this is the place you should start: http://www.altavista.com/cgi-bin/query?pg=q&sc=on&q=Irazu&kl=en&stype=simage&wt=y Loads of ggod things there for just pictures. If you wish more, go to web pages on the same search. Good luck! (and welcome back!!!)

Wow, it is beautiful! Thank you... (I thought the Best Western picture was hilarious...).

(so did I, and it was the first place I accessed.) Did your brother see any signs of activity at Irazu?

No, no activity, I think. I heard today that a volcano in Guatemala has started to erupt. Do you know the details? I must correct my previous statement, because I have indeed seen a volcano in real life; the Amatitlan peak in Guatemala, with its beautiful lake. I was just a child when I visited, though and we did not go to the top, but we could see the smoke. It has a baby volcano on one side, and that one was smoking too. Quite a site.

That is, quite a sight.

I heard an eye-witness on CNN radio telling of tall plumes of dark reddish hue rising high into the sky. The One URL I have for the Volcano no longer works. I shall hunt it down as soon as I can get some sleep and type more carefully. (My New Year's Resolution!)

Saturday, 26 February, 2000, 21:51 GMT Spectacular eruption of Icelandic volcano A volcano in Iceland has erupted, sending clouds of ash and smoke up to ten kilometres into the air. The Hekla volcano -- one of the highest in Europe -- is in the remote south-west of the island and the authorities say there's no danger to local people but aircraft have been warned not to fly over the area. Witnesses say the eruption is a magnificent spectacle with red-hot lava flowing down the snow-covered slopes of the volcano. In Icelandic mythology, Hekla was believed to be one of the gates to hell and a haunt of witches.

Thanks, Maggie. I have hunted through all of the Icelandic volcanic-events links and they are not yet reporting anything. I will keep watch and post a picture and update as soon as I find one.

I went to the Icelandic news sources to see if I could find anything, but it is only on the BBC and few details. I think the last big ones for Hekla were 1991 and 1996.

There is a link I check when Vatnajokul happened http://norvol.hi.is/bard3.html - The Icelandic Volcano Observatory http://xanadu.centrum.is/icerev/daily1.html#vat - Daily updates (last was on Friday) of Iclandic news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_659000/659187.stm Iceland's volcanic spectacular The volcano is an an uninhabited area Iceland's most active volcano, Mount Hekla, has erupted for the first time in almost 10 years, spewing columns of ash several kilometres into the sky. Experts say the volcano poses no danger as it is situated in an uninhabited area about 120 km (75 miles) east of Reykjavik. The volcano, one of the highest in Europe, has erupted more than 20 times since the 11th century. In Icelandic folklore, it was believed to be one of the gates to purgatory. Icelandic television said a lava flow from a fissure was estimated to be seven km (4.5 miles) long. Tousands of Icelanders have gone to witness the magnificent spectacle of red-hot lava and white snow. But the authorities warned drivers to beware of clouds of ash clogging up their engines. The 1,490-metre ( 4900-foot) volcano spewed ash all over Europe when it erupted last century. Seismologists say this latest incident resembles a 1991 eruption that lasted seven weeks. No flights to or from Iceland had been cancelled. But despite the civil aviation authorities warning aircraft not to fly over the zone, a flying club announced that it was charging just over $100 for aerial tours of the volcano.

Next time I'm gonna remember to put "" around the left, center and right align command and they will not end up in a string on the left...*sigh*

that top picture looks like my wife-to-be when she's in a mood...

The top picture is the sort in which people here see Madame Pele looking benign/kind/sad/whatever and then the locals predict good or dire things. Your wife-to-be has a temper, does she? And, you are going into this with eyes open. I think I'll worry some more about you - Poor Mike! He's got himself a Godess!

http://www.geo.mtu.edu/~boris/Latestnews.html 28 February 2000 POWERFUL EXPLOSIONS AT MAYON; HEKLA ACTIVITY DIMINISHES Over the past two days, Mayon unleashed its strongest explosions so far, terrifying tens of thousands of people living in the surrounding areas, and sending glowing pyroclastics hundreds of meters into the sky. Press photos show spectacular incandescent fountains illuminating the summit area, and the upper flanks covered by glowing projectiles. According to news reports, the latest activity was purely explosive, following several days of predominantly effusive activity. Philippine volcanologists noted that each explosion appeared to be stronger than its predecessor, and that the climax might yet come. So far, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated. Many left the areas around the volcano voluntarily, being impressed by the latest series of strong explosions. Local authorities asked thousands of residents, who had left areas not under threat, to return home. The refugees have been accomodated in evacuation centers, and news reports lament the lack of food and the threat of diseases. Warnings have also voiced about the danger of lahars, which might be caused by rainfalls washing the new pyroclastics from the slopes of the volcano. LINKS TO OTHER MAYON INFORMATION Mayon updates from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) ABS-CBN News (Philippine television news) Links to on-line Philippine newspapers from Yahoo Mayon Volcano Pictures:

The top image above is a dublicate - sorry. Here is the intended one: And, from Hekla:

Activity continues at Mayon Volcano, with several eruptions over the past two days, and two powerful eruptions today (Mon. Feb. 28). There are several news reports available online. (for example, http://news.lycos.com/headlines/Science/) Updates and general information on Mayon may be found at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) website: http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/Volcanoes/Mayon/MayonIndex.html

Amazing pictures and links! "Mother earth" is certainly restless these days...

either that or we are more aware of it because I am poking at her all day to find out what is happening. It is amazing to have people posting local weather from all over the world. What a luxury and a joy! How's Boston this evening?

It's been rather warm (in the 40's F) and rainy for the past few days. It's been nice to get rid of all that dirty snow and ice. Looks like it might get up to the 50's this week...that's balmy for this time of year! How are things in Hawaii? Is Pele still rumbling, or have the tremors calmed down for now?

Kilauea appears to have quieted down but the eruption continues on at its usual steady rate. It is still dark out as I write this, but it should be warm and sunny again...just another same old - same old day in Paradise *grin*

Must you rub it in??? ;-)

...You asked...*smile* At least you are not mowing your lawn yet. Ours is deep enough to hide tigers and nasty things like that. We need a yard service!

I also realize that you have your share of storms, earthquakes, etc. It's only in the middle of winter that I start to dream of warmer climates. When the summer hits, I head for the air-conditioning and wonder why anyone would want to live in warmer places. (I can't deal with giant bugs, either.)

...and free-range lizards all over your house... Inside?!

I forgot about the geckos...that would take some getting used to, but better them than the bugs, I guess.

Yup! They eat the bugs - and each other - then *bleep* on your picture frames, window sills, curtains, etc. The cat usually gets the lizards so we have far fewer of them than before the cat adopted us.

I like geckos and I'm not too keen usually on lizards. We always hoped to have them in our African houses - they actually like mosquitoes and can put away a surprising amount. I think they're sweet!

I think they're sweet, too. I take the babies outside so the big ones don't eat them. One night I heard crunching noises in the walkway. I turned on the front light to see what was happening, and there was a large Gekko (7" end to end) eating a large cockroach. Yup! Druther have gekkos any day of the week! Ours chirp, too!

Oh how nice, I don't remember any of ours making any noises.

I think ours are the only ones in the world which do...though there may be some other Polynesian ones which do also. It is very cute! And, no, for those wondering, they do not fall on you!

I can confirm that, I've never had a gecko fall on me yet, unlike cockraoches, millipedes, ear wigs ............

Are geckos the ones that lick their eyes with their tongues? Still if they're eating their fill of insect life, it's a small habit to get used to. Much better than an exterminator, works for free and best of all, is environmentally friendly.

African geckos are pink, sort of albino-ish, with bulging eyes, but I don't remeber them licking their eyes with their tongues, cone to that I don't remember ever seeing thier tongues! Marcia???

No, but they are pretty small. And I am sure they are very quick with that tongue unlike the pretend one on the Telly ads. We have two kinds. The ones which are supposedly are from Japan are larger, pink and almost albino (you can see the eggs in them when they are on your windows.) The Hawaiian are darker and change colors a bit more than the big pink ones and they are smaller and are prey for the bigger pink ones. Much rather have them than bugs - and we have earwigs, too!!!

Babies Born As Volcano Erupts TABACO, Philippines (Reuters) - Nine babies have been born in cramped evacuation centers in the central Philippines where refugees from the wrath of Mayon volcano have been sheltering for over a week, relief officials said on Friday. One of the new mothers, 35-year-old Asuncion Broncate, gave birth to her seventh child early on Thursday in a room at a school in Tabaco town, which was serving as a temporary shelter for 10 families. ``Despite our miserable condition it is hot, there is no electricity everything went smoothly with the grace of God,'' Broncate told Reuters as she breastfed her one-day-old baby boy at the Panal Bangkilingan Elementary School. Broncate said she gave birth without the help of a midwife or any trained help at dawn on Thursday. Other evacuees in the school, mostly farmers living on the slopes of the 2,460 meter (8,000 foot) volcano, later took the baby to a nearby hospital for an examination, she said. Veronica Madulid, a provincial disaster official, said eight other babies were born earlier in the week at other centers around Mayon. More than 65,000 people are currently housed in various evacuation centers in Albay province since Mayon first began erupting on February 24. The volcano killed 77 people in its last major eruption in 1993.

Ginny's Photrograph published on http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/hornak/ I enlarged it but do not recognize where it was taken and I was with her when she took it!

This is the slightly enlarged version - a beautiful and dramatic shot:

Thanks, Marcia! Actually, I took that picture (along with *many* more) the day that David, Polly and I hiked out to the lava shield near Pu'u O'o. I think it was called "Kupaianaha" (not sure about the spelling). Marcia was with us the day before, when we hiked out to where the lava was flowing into the ocean. That was quite a hike...it took most of the day! We scratched the paint on the sides of the rental car just getting to our starting point for the hike! I enjoyed the jiffy pop, popped on a hot vent! The picture was just published in the "Dictionary of Volcanology and Seismology". It's a Spanish-to-English/English-to-Spanish translation dictionary of volcanology and seismology terms. The author, Ken Hornak, found my web site last year, and asked permission to use the photo on the title page of the book. My sample copy of the book, signed by the author, came in the mail yesterday. It's a first for me!

Congratulations to a puvblished photographer! I remember that hike but I did it with the graduation bunch in the day time and did the Jiffy-pop thing, too. I recall being told (and I did not doubt it for a second) that it was gonna be a tough hike at night and that I should probably not go with you-all. I'm sure, from my hike of the same route that it was no easy thing to negotiate.

If I remember correctly, the hike to where the lava flowed into the ocean was at night, and you joined us. The hike to the sea shield was a much longer hike, and we did that the next day. It took the whole day, and I was pretty tired by the end of it...and I was in better shape than I am now! :-)

I remember hiking to the sea with you and have photos to prove it - some from you and some from David. Ginny's latest and now I recognize the surroundings:

Mayon Volcano Bulletin 12 March 2000 An ash puff with height of about one kilometer was observed at 0903H yesterday. The ash column was drifted to the northwest direction. The ash ejection was caused by water that comes in contact with the still hot lava deposits at the summit. And at 1242H, another minor billowing ash was seen descending the Bonga Gully due to the detachment of the new lava deposit at the upper slope. The elutriated ash cloud drifted to the west-southwest by the prevailing winds. During the rest of the past observation period the volcano was relatively quiet. This was manifested by faint crater glow at the tip of the cone and weak to moderate emission of steam. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emission rate decreased from the previous reading of 4,300 tonnes per day (t/d) to 4,000 t/d. Seismic activity consisted of 5 low-frequency volcanic quakes and 7 episodes of short-duration tremors. Slight deflation of the volcano edifice continued to be recorded by ground deformation measurements via precise leveling. PHIVOLCS considers the moderate seismic levels, deflation of the volcanic cone, moderate steam ad SO2 outputs including crater glow to be part of the volcanic processes involving the gradual return to quiet conditions. At this stage, however, these parameters are still above normal repose levels such that Alert Level 4 remains hoisted over the volcano. http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/Volcanoes/Mayon/MayonIndex.html

VOLCANOES - updates Mayon (Philippines) Summitcrater dome growth and escalating eruptions herald evacuations Barren Island (India) Naval aircraft flight crew sights unconfirmed "volcanic emission of smoke" Piton de la Fournaise (Reunion Island) A new eruption in February 2000 begins venting lava flows Nyamuragira (Zaire) As 27 January eruption began, witnesses assumed they heard artillery fire Stromboli (Italy) 1999 seismic summary and some strongerthanusual eruptions Kilauea (Hawaii) Ground deformation continues through June; earthquake swarms begin in December Tungurahua (Ecuador) More than twofold increase in longperiod earthquakes during December Pacaya (Guatemala) Map of new lava flows, satellite data, and perspective on the 16 January eruption Fuego (Guatemala) Satellite data reveals hot spot; field observers see JanuaryFebruary ash puffs Popocatepetl (Mexico) Increased number of exhalations and new dome growth in late February Soufriere Hills (Montserrat) Stillvigorous, potentially destructive eruptions during JulyNovember 1999 http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/

This photo was taken some years ago when he and another geologist would spend several days in the field. They slept and stored all things under that rusty-roofed structure. It got covered by cinders regularly and had to be dug out. As I recall this place ( just in front of that vent - Pu'u O'o) was called Camp 7 and was covered entirely and permanently just as the 6 camps before them had been. The items on the tripods are lasers and reflectors with which they measure the deformation of the entire mountain of Kilauea.

STROMBOLI ON-LINE and ITALY'S VOLCANOES: THE CRADLE OF VOLCANOLOGY proudly present: Video clips of a paroxysmal eruptive episode at the Southeast Crater of Mount Etna(Sicily), 15 February 2000, filmed by British film maker David Bryant A series of video clips in Quicktime format (.mov) showing the spectacular eruptive episode at the Southeast Crater on Etna of 15 February 2000 has been posted simultaneously at "Stromboli On-line" and "Italy's Volcanoes: The Cradle of Volcanology". The videos, which range from 1.5 to 3.5 MB in size, show all main stages of the spectacular event from the initial Strombolian activity over the escalation and the rise of huge lava fountains to the decline and end. We believe that this is extraordinary footage of a volcanic eruption and are grateful to David Bryant for his availability to share his material with volcano enthusiasts and volcanologists worldwide. His full video will appear in a film about Mount Etna and Catania, which will be broadcast later this year; information about this will be provided timely to visitors of our web sites. We have decided to post the video clips on both sites simultaneously, because this will allow both U.S. and European visitors fast downloading. If the connection to one of the sites is slow, you may thus switch to the other site and see if this works faster. We also give tips about how to download faster and without annoying ruptures of transmission, if you have a slow line. And this is where you will find the movie clips: Stromboli On-line: http://stromboli.net/perm/etna/etna00av/index-en.html Italy's Volcanoes: http://www.geo.mtu.edu/~boris/ETNA_15022000movie.html Enjoy!

Got it - was in wrong topic earlier!

Got a cute one of him as a full-grown man....have I inflicted it on you, yet? It used to be visible in Spring Gallery on Porch conference.

I've got one - don't know if it's the same one though. You said it was your favourite.

You have the fav one, so far, that is...*smile*

wonderful pic. Marcia, now we have converted to netscape - didn,t realise how much better it is.

Finally! I told you (as they say)...it is true !

That's a great picture of David! Was that close to where we went hiking (when I took the picture that just got published)? I remember seeing Pu'u 0'o when we were out there. Wow, 7 camps buried by lava? I hope no one was *at* any of the camps when they got buried!!

Has the volcanic eruption due to come at any moment in Japan been reported. Also large earthquake in New Zealand today.

Nothing in here reported about the eruption, but my email is full of items from Dacid (Yes, Ginny, that is where you were! No one was endangered by the eruptions which buried any of the camps, thank goodness.) Did not know about the earthquake in NZ, but will post as soon as I get through here and wake up a little. *************************** Usu Volcano, Japan crisis *************************** Volcanic Advisory reports (nos. 1-7) on Usu Volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, were issued from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) since 28 March. Number of volcanic earthquakes around this volcano has increased since 8 a.m. (JST), 27 March; 16 times in 27 Mar. and 599 in 28 Mar. (including 68 felt-earthquakes) at the JMA site about 2 km south of the summit. At 07:08, 29 March, the quake of M3.4 occurred on this volcano. According to the Usu Volcano Observatory, the hypocenter of the earthquakes locates on the northern slope of the volcano. Neither volcanic tremor nor visible change in fumarolic gas had not been observed by the 28 March night. National Coordination Committee of Volcanic Eruption Prediction (Chaired by Prof. Yoshiaki Ida, Univ. of Tokyo) commented a high possibility of imminent eruption in this volcano in the 28 March evening. JMA is also calling the local people's attention to mud flows triggered due to snow melting by eruption. Hot spring resort locates on the northern foot of the volcano, and about 1,600 guests stayed this night. However, more than 400 persons living around the volcano actively took refuge to safety places like distant schools by the 28 March night, according to the attentions by local governments. Historical eruptions occurred in 1663, 1769, 1822, 1853, 1910, 1943-45 (Showa-shinzan lava dome eruption), and 1977-78. According to Akihiko Tomiya, Geological Survey of Japan, precorsory phenomena of these eruptions, mainly volcanic earthquake events, before eruptions lasted from 32 hours (1977-78) to 6 months (1943-45 eruption). Most of them began with the Plinian phase, followed by pyroclastic flows and, then, dome growth. The volume of tephra is 0.05 c.km for the 1943-45 eruption to 2.5 c.km for the 1663 eruption. Information on Usu Volcano is in the site, http://uvo.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/.

Japanese Volcano Eruption Forces 15,000 to Flee DATE (Reuters) - Japan's snow-capped Mount Usu volcano erupted on Friday, belching forth vast clouds of smoke and ash and forcing 15,000 people to flee their homes. The 2,402-foot volcano, among Japan's most active, sent rocks hurtling into the air as plumes of dark gray smoke streaked with blue lightning billowed from the conical mountain. Residents ran for cover, holding towels over their mouths as the smell of sulfur pervaded the air. Onlookers said they could taste grit from the eruption that hurled ash as high as 8,850 feet into the sky. A carpet of ash coated cars and houses. Tremors were jolting the hot spring resort area on the northern island of Hokkaido as the eruption continued, Meteorological Agency official Manabu Komiya told reporters. Ash, volcanic rocks and mudslides had flowed toward the small town of Abuta and the navy and the Coast Guard were deployed to evacuate the entire population of some 2,000 from homes perched precariously between the mountain and the sea. Officials said four naval ships, five Coast Guard vessels and two military helicopters had plucked residents to safety. ``Depending on developments, the eruption could cause even bigger damage,'' Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said. ``The government will do whatever it can to deal with the situation.'' Sailors on the naval vessels reported mudslides slipping down the cone-shaped mountain toward Abuta, but navy officials said later these were small. Officials said there were no reports of casualties. Mount Usu last erupted in 1978 after a series of earthquakes that gave birth to a new and smaller volcano by its side. Mudslides triggered by that eruption killed three people. Troops had already helped to evacuate more than 15,000 people from towns around the foot of the volcano and they were being housed in schools and public halls. Officials said they were establishing emergency post offices and banks to allow residents easy access to their money. FURTHER ERUPTIONS POSSIBLE Government experts said another big explosion appeared unlikely but it could take some time until the volcano settled down and more eruptions were possible from new craters. ``The fact that the ash cloud rose so high suggests the force of the eruption was strong. We can't dismiss the chance of other developments, like magma moves,'' said Yoshiaki Ida, chairman of the government's volcano experts panel. Snow was falling heavily, further coating the slopes of the volcano still shrouded by billowing smoke from explosions of gases from five craters on the mountain's western slope. Officials said initial assessments showed the eruption had not been as large as first expected, but further blasts could not be ruled out. Thousands of earthquakes had rumbled through the region since Sunday as the mountain prepared to blow its top. ``Mount Usu has had seven significant eruptions that we know of, and at no time has it ended quickly with only a small scale eruption, said Yoshio Katsui, a professor at Hokkaido University. The plume of smoke was not as large as the one spewed out by Mount Usu's last eruption in 1978. ``It looks smaller than before,'' said one middle-aged woman watching the smoke pillar from the shore of nearby Lake Toya. Train services in the area had been disrupted, some flights had been diverted and roads blocked off, officials said. Officials warned residents to beware of mudslides amid predictions of heavy rain later on Friday night because snow on the mountain, believed to be 11 to 31 inches thick, could melt rapidly. Some 3,300 troops were providing food, water and blankets for evacuees. Others were on reconnaissance missions around the mountain, including some in helicopters. A Hokkaido government official said 55,000 people living in five towns around the foot of the mountain, including the hot spring resort town of Toya, could be affected by an eruption. Cabinet ministers, keen to appear on top of the situation after past criticism for slow response to disasters, huddled at a crisis center at the prime minister's residence to monitor events. Officials warned there was a chance that an eruption at Mount Usu could mimic the deadly flow of superheated gas and ash from Mount Fugen in southern Japan in 1991, which killed 43 people.

From David: ************************************************ Stromboli On Line: Etna Video and smoke rings ************************************************ May we bring to your attention the fact that now STROMBOLI ON-LINE's 1999-Etna videocassette is available, featuring South East Crater lava flows and hornito activity, and Bocca Nuova paroxysm with the "small scale pyroclastic flow". All footage was digitally recorded and processed (58min; VHS-PAL, VHS-NTSC upon request); original sound only, no commentary. Written explanations in German, English and Italian are added. For further details please consult our website: http://stromboli.net/shop/index-en.html We would also like to ask if any of you are aware of publications regarding �smoke rings�. We were able, in February 2000, to document exceptionally beautiful and long-lasting rings on Etna, and this arose an incredible interest about their nature. We would be therefore glad to be able to present a rather complete list of scientific references regarding their origin. Etna's �ring world� can be seen at http://stromboli.net/perm/etna/etna00b/index-en.html

Go to this remarkable page of pictures - below is one of them: http://educeth.ethz.ch/stromboli//perm/etna/etna00b/index-en.html

Amazing pictures! I love the smoke rings.

There are incredible pictures on that web page, but I love the one I posted here. Never saw anything like it! Well, I did see Pu'u O'o do that during one episode way back in its infancy...and if someone else had not mentioned it, I would have thought I was seeing things.

I would have thought I was seeing things, too! Pu'u O'o didn't do that while I was there (but I can't complain about what I *did* see).

Yup! You got close enought to get your feet "wet", as I recall.

*************************************** Submarine eruption: Madagascar Plateau *************************************** A probable submarine eruption was observed during the April 24-25 night by the solitary navigator Philippe MONNET, who is doing the world tour in inverse order, near 30�S-45�E where there is a seamount, on the Madagascar Plateau, the top of which is around 300-400 m. below sealevel. He observed very big dark and white plumes up to 10 000 m. high, may be more, glowing gleams in the base of the plumes issued of the sea, and many flash of lightning. The sea was especialy rough in the zone. He observed this phenomena during more than 14 hours, and April 25 in the evening, many milles in the West, he could always see the glowing plume. April 23 (4:16 UT) the Piton de la Fournaise Observatory recorded an earthquake around 1 000 km in the West sector of Reunion Island. Relationship? P. Lanier (Monnet's routeur) followed plumes on satellite images during this period. *************************************** Submarine eruption: Azores *************************************** From: Hugh McNichol Photos of the ocean surface during an eruption of an underwater volcano near the Azores can be found at: http://www.acores.net/fotos/foto_iris/ According to a marine historian living on the Azores, this underwater volcano is only about 5 km offshore and the summit was 400 meters below the surface in the summer, and it is only 200 meters below the surface now. According to the web sites below, the submarine eruption near Terceira, Azores Islands, which began late in 1998 is still continuing as of Feberuary 2000, albeit at a low and flucuating level. Pictures are available at the first URL below. http://www.virtualazores.com/crise99/index.html Following from: http://www.geo.aau.dk/palstrat/tom/santorini_homepage/ongoing_eruptions.htm# terceira 26 February 2000 Ash and gas emission from the submarine eruptive fissure that started erupting in late 1998 is still continuing at Terceira, Acores. For over one year, the eruption is continuing at low, fluctuating levels.

Sorry if this is a duplicate...haven't had a chance to catch up on all the Geo topics yet. From http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2000/jovianduststream.html MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011 http://www.jpl.nasa.gov Contact: Jane Platt, (818) 354-0880 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2000 IO'S VOLCANOES SPLATTER DUST INTO THE SOLAR SYSTEM Fiery volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io are the main source of dust streams that flow from the Jupiter system into the rest of the solar system, according to new findings from NASA's Galileo spacecraft analyzed by an international team of scientists. The scientists, led by Amara Graps of the Max Planck Institute of Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, analyzed the frequency of dust impacts on Galileo's dust detector subsystem. They found peaks that coincided with the periods of Io's orbit (approximately 42 hours) and of Jupiter's rotation (approximately 10 hours). Although dust scientists had suspected Io as the source of the dust streams, it was difficult to prove. They ruled out several possible sources, including Jupiter's main ring and Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, but Jupiter's gossamer ring and Io remained as candidates. The dust scientists studied several years of Galileo data to show that the motion of the dust stream particles is strongly influenced by Jupiter's magnetic field, with a unique signature that could exist only if Io were the main contributor to the dust streams. "Now, for the first time we have direct evidence that Io is the dominant source of the Jovian dust streams," said Graps, lead author of a paper on the findings that appears in the May 4 issue of the journal Nature. The Jovian dust streams are intense bursts of submicron- sized particles (as small as particles of smoke) that originate in Jupiter's system and flow out about 290 million kilometers (180 million miles), or twice the distance between Earth and the Sun. They were first discovered in 1992 by the dust detector onboard the Ulysses spacecraft during its Jupiter flyby. "The escape of dust from the Jovian system in 1992 was a total surprise," said Dr. Mihaly Horanyi, a dust plasma physicist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO, and co-author of the paper. Since 1995, the Galileo dust detector, a twin to the Ulysses instrument, has observed the streams, both while the spacecraft was en route to Jupiter and within the Jupiter system. Very, very early in the history of our solar system, before and during the formation of the planets, small dust grains were much more abundant. These charged grains were influenced by magnetic fields from the early Sun, much as the dust on Io is affected by Jupiter's magnetic field today. Thus, studies of the behavior of these dust grains may provide insight into processes that led to the formation of the moons and planets in our solar system. "The dust from the Jovian dust streams is clearly magnetically-controlled dust," said Dr. Eberhard Gruen of the Max Planck Institute. "Dust particles carry information about charging processes in regions of the Jovian magnetosphere, where information is otherwise sparse or unknown." Gruen built the dust detectors for several spacecraft, including Galileo, Ulysses and Cassini. These new results provide a useful window on Io. In-situ dust measurements can monitor Io's volcanic plume activity, complementing observations made by Galileo and from Earth-based telescopes. The Jovian dust streams, with their Io source, are minor when compared to the huge amounts of dust created in the solar system by comet activity and asteroid collisions. Nonetheless, they add to the variety of dust sources in the solar system. In fact, the Jovian dust streams travel so fast that some particles can actually leave the solar system to join the local interstellar medium -- the gas and dust that fill the space between stars. In December 2000, during a joint observation of Jupiter by Galileo and Cassini, scientists will have a unique opportunity to study the Jovian dust streams using dust instruments on both spacecraft. In addition to Graps, Gruen and Horanyi, authors on this paper are Dr. Harald Krueger, Andreas Heck and Sven Lammers of Max Planck, and Dr. Hakan Svedhem of the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. This work was supported by the German space agency, Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft-und Raumfahrt E.V. (DLR). More information on the Galileo mission is available at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov . The Max Planck, Heidelberg Dust Group web site is at http://galileo.mpi-hd.mpg.de/ . The Galileo, Cassini and Ulysses missions are managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is managed by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. ##### 5/3/00 JP #2000-042

I posted similar stuff before the beginning of the year in Geo 24 - which is why it was created - for Volcanoes other than on Earth. Thanks!

Ah...wasn't sure which topic it belonged in...a little bit of "overlap"

That's really fascinating. I wonder how it will effect the magnetosphere over which Mike has now taken control on Geo 35 ( check out the cool diagram I found)

Not to worry - we'll catch 'em one way or the other. I often link it by saying look on topic whatever post who... I hope it is being read. I think I shall alert mike to your post so we can decide what is gonna happen to us. Btw, I now post all space news in topic 34 just for that purpose. I imagine they will come out with headlines about this, too...

You certainly have been busy around here...gonna take me a while to catch up on all the postings! :-) Well, it's 2am here, so good night all!

Oh, Ginny, they're worth it. Lots of good stuff in here lately (as usual, actually...) Welcome home!

Observations in late May 2000 by NZ geologists showed that the famous Kavachi submarine volcano in the Solomon Islands is once again erupting, with spectacular bomb ejections and possible island formation. From: http://www.gns.cri.nz/news/release/volcisland.htm NEWS RELEASE, 25 MAY 2000 NZ SCIENTISTS WATCH FIERY BIRTH OF NEW PACIFIC ISLAND Two New Zealand scientists were part of an international team who this week witnessed the dramatic birth of a new volcanic island near the Solomon Islands. The rare observation was made during an investigation of seafloor volcanic activity and associated mineral formation in the Bismark and Solomon seas north of Australia. Marine geochemist Gary Massoth and mineral geologist Cornel de Ronde, both of the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited (GNS), were part of an international team on the CSIRO research ship Franklin who made a comprehensive study of the island-building eruptive activity. The scientists found the shallow Kavachi seamount, which had been dormant for nine years, had started a new phase of eruptive activity. Kavachi, in the Solomon Island chain of volcanoes, is only 30km from the boundary of the Indian and Australian tectonic plates. A roughly conical feature rising from a seafloor depth of 1100m, Kavachi is about eight kilometres in diameter at its base and has produced ephemeral islands at least twice in the past century. " When we arrived at Kavachi, we found violent eruptions taking place every five minutes,�� Mr Massoth said from Darwin today. " The eruptions were ejecting molten lava up to 70 metres above sea level, and sulphurous steam plumes rose to about 500 metres. At night we were treated to a spectacular fireworks display with the red glow of eruptions continuing." The peak of the volcano was forming a sandy ashen beach two metres below sea level with regular violent bomb-like eruptions. The ship approached to within 750 metres of the eruption centre and found that the volcano had grown substantially since it was last surveyed in 1984. The scientists were able to sample freshly formed volcanic rocks from the flanks of the erupting volcano. " This was an unprecedented opportunity and has given us valuable geological information. We also systematically sampled gases and seawater at various depths around the perimeter of the volcano � something that has not been achieved before with an erupting submarine volcano. " We detected particle and chemical plumes from the eruption at least 5 kilometres from the centre of the volcano. This has provided valuable information about the impact of active volcanoes on ocean chemistry." Mr Massoth said Kavachi differed from Brothers volcano, the largest and most active submarine volcano north east of White Island, in that Brothers was deeper and hydrothermally active while Kavachi was shallow and volcanically active. " Hot rock, or lava, predominates at Kavachi while hot water predominates at Brothers." Hydrothermal fluids were venting from Brothers volcano at about 300oC against 100oC at Kavachi. Hotter fluids react with the volcano host rocks more efficiently and are more heavily laden with dissolved minerals." Observations at Kavachi showed that lava being quickly quenched in seawater did not produce a strong chemical plume in the ocean, unlike the active volcanoes northeast of White Island which vent large volumes of hydrothermal fluids and heat into the ocean. " Kavachi has confirmed our observations that forearc volcano chains, such as the Kermadec chain north east of White Island, contribute significantly to the global inventory of heat and chemical emissions entering the oceans. " The work we have been doing in New Zealand waters is effectively re-writing the textbook on submarine volcanism." About 80 percent of the world�s volcanism occurred in the ocean and only a small proportion of all submarine volcanoes had been systematically surveyed with scientific equipment, Mr Massoth said. At another location, the scientists dredged up what they believe is a world-record size "black smoker" � a 2.7m-high chimney prised from an active volcanic vent at a depth of 1700m. Black smoker chimneys are packed with minerals � typically 1000 to 10,000 more concentrated than background levels in seawater. The chimney was expected to be rich in silver, zinc and gold, Mr Massoth said. John Callan Communications Co-ordinator Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Limited

Kavachi submarine volcano in the Solomon Islands is once again erupting, with spectacular bomb ejections and possible island formation.

I'm glad i came and looked - that's a great photo

Thanks! There is nothing quite like watching an island emerge from the sea or watching what used to be a huge pit crater fill, then build a small mountain which becomes a named hill on maps. It is like peeking while God was creating the world...He has not stopped and for that I am eternally grateful. This island has grown by 400 sq acres since the current eruption began!

A few eye-witness accounts from a Honolulu guy who has had rather negative volcano experiences compared with mine: I was in a 747 about 15 years ago flying somewhere over india..there had been a volcano erruption hundreds of miles away but the cloud at risen something like 60 thousand feet...the plane flew thru the cloud and all engines quit..pilot got them started back... speaking of which..about 8-9 years ago I was on vacation in the Philippines and a volcano blew..I was about 10 miles away..I couldn't belive how quickly the ash traveled..in a matter of minutes all the trees where gone and the sky dark..it was a nightemare. If I hadn't of been in a pretty secure building at the time, I dont think I would of made it...everything around us was pretty much history..

Mmm some story.

Indeed. I am trying to encourage him to login and post his experiences. He is a most fascinating individual, and I would like to get to know him better.

He sent this url, and lest it be thought that Hawaii has the only beautiful volcanoes, this one is the archetypal shape and displays why composite cones of mostly ash are so beautiful and so deadly: Mayon Volcano: Cagsawa Church Ruins Photograph by C.G. Newhall on September 23, 1984 Pyroclastic flows descend the south-eastern flank of Mayon Volcano, Philippines. Maximum height of the eruption column was 15 km above sea level, and volcanic ash fell within about 50 km toward the west. There were no casualties from the 1984 eruption because more than 73,000 people evacuated the danger zones as recommended by scientists of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Thanks, Donn, for the urls and the great pictures. If you'd like to see where I did my disaster relief work, please check http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/history/1990Kalapana/ It was heart-breaking because all I could do was to hug them as they sobbed and watched their homes disappear - one after the other.

correcting my html problem...

Fantastic pics. Love the one with the smoke ring particularly.

Oh, You had not seen that? Incredible, no?!

CAMEROON: Mount Cameroon oozing lava Lava has started to flow again from Mount Cameroon but government officials said on state radio there was no immediate cause for alarm, news organisations reported on Wednesday. It is unclear exactly when the volcano started to erupt, although residents of Buea, the town closest to the volcano, said there were light earth tremors on Monday and thick smoke and fire at the top of the mountain, Reuters reported state radio as saying. When Mount Cameroon last erupted, in March and April 1999, the authorities evacuated residents of villages around the volcano. It lies along a geological fault that includes Lakes Nyos, from which carbon dioxide emissions on 21 August 1986 killed 1,700 people.

frica's Mt. Cameroon has begun erupting again. Felt earthquakes were noted on 29 May, and by 30 May the summit was erupting "fire". It is unclear as to the precise onset of the eruption, one report said eruptions began 20 May. Reports on 31 May indicate a 3 mi. long lava flow has formed while eruptions of incandescent material continue at the summit. From: http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/africa/05/30/bc.cameroon.volcano.reut/index.html Mount Cameroon shows signs of fresh volcanic activity May 30, 2000 Web posted at: 9:47 AM EDT (1347 GMT) YAOUNDE, Cameroon (Reuters) -- Mount Cameroon has shown signs of fresh activity and people living near the volcano have been put on a state of maximum alert, state radio reported on Tuesday. The radio said residents of Buea in south-western Cameroon reported light earth tremors on Monday and a cloud of thick smoke and fire at the top of the 4,095-meter high (13,435 feet) mountain. Mount Cameroon sits on a seismic fault line that crosses the country. The volcano was last active in March and April, 1999, when lava cut a key highway before stopping a few meters (yards) from the Atlantic Ocean. A government monitoring station is due to go into service in June at Ekona, north of Buea, to provide early warning of any volcanic activity or eruption From: http://www.cameroonnews.com/?action=display&article=2187152&template=dou ala/stories.txt&index=recent Lava Gushes Out of Mount Cameroon The Associated Press, Wed 31 May 2000 YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) - Lava is gushing out of the Mount Cameroon volcano in this central African nation, state-run radio reported Wednesday. The hot, molten stream had extended up to three miles, the radio said. The volcano, 195 miles southwest of the capital, Yaounde, began erupting on May 20. Government officials, however, said there was no immediate cause for alarm. ``There is intense volcanic activity at the top of the mountain, which is essentially characterized by flames and a small flow of lava, which is still not very important,'' said Henri Hogbe Nlend, minister for scientific and technical research, who surveyed the volcano from a helicopter. The flames and lava flow are also primarily on the less populated side of the slope, he added. It is the second time in just over a year that the volcano has erupted. In March and April 1999, flowing lava displaced thousands of people and destroyed farmland.