Friday, July 22, 2011

Cleveland could blow sky-high (the volcano, not the city)

Aleutian volcanoes pop off with some frequency, so it's not surprising that the frequently active Cleveland Volcano might be active again:

Alaska volcano shows signs of impending eruption

Scientists are not always certain about what is happening at the remote volcano, observatory officials said. The town of Nikolski, the nearest settlement to Cleveland Volcano, is 45 miles (72 km) away.

Although Cleveland is among the most active of Alaska's roughly 90 volcanoes, no seismic equipment is set up there because the costs of working in such a remote area are prohibitive, observatory officials said.

At times like these, maybe the airlines would pony up for a seismometer. Seems like pocket change compared to the cost of a jet (and the lives borne within it).

Installing the seismometer right now might not be advisable, though.

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