Will Jindal Eat Words On Volcano Funding?
A month after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal complained about wasteful spending in President Obama's economic stimulus package - including money he sneered was for "something called 'volcano monitoring'" - Alaska pilots were grateful for such expenditures.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory was ready with warnings to flight officials when Alaska's Mount Redoubt blew, sending potentially deadly ash clouds north of Anchorage.
Readings from seismometers and atmospheric pressure sensors alerted scientists that an eruption had occurred. Weather radar confirmed the presence of an ash cloud that ascended more than 11 miles above sea level.
"Without instruments in the ground, we would not have been able to tell you this was coming," said John Power, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Volcano monitoring became a political issue when Jindal gave the Republican response to President Obama's message to Congress on the economic stimulus package. Jindal said the package was "larded with wasteful spending," including $140 million for volcano monitoring.
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Anchorage wrote Jindal and said volcano monitoring is a matter of life and death in his state. He made the point again after the latest eruptions.
"I sleep better knowing the scientists are at work at the AVO keeping track of this activity," he said by e-mail.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a joint program between the USGS, the University of Alaska and the state Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The observatory was formed in response to the 1986 eruption of Mount Augustine.
The observatory has a variety of tools to predict eruptions. As magma moves beneath a volcano before an eruption, it generates earthquakes, swells the surface of a mountain and sends out gases. The observatory samples gases, measures earthquake activity and watches for landscape deformities.
"Generally the earthquakes that are occurring at these volcanoes are too small to be felt unless you're standing right on the volcano," Power said.
Mount Redoubt, about 100 miles southwest of Alaska's largest city, first blew at night Sunday, and even after sunrise, was socked in by clouds, obscuring ash that that can clog a jet engine and knock aircraft from the sky.
Scientists with the volcano observatory last fall noted an increase in seismic activity at Redoubt and in January warned that an eruption was imminent. The warning level has been lowered and raised since then as the mountain cooled and heated up.
The explosions Sunday and Monday damaged three seismometers, including the one closest to the summit. They could have been hit by flying rock or their electronic circuitry could have been damaged by lighting that often accompanies an ash plume. Seven others seismometers continue to take readings on the mountain.
If Redoubt follows historic trends, there will be more eruptions in the next 48 hours, or in weeks to come.
During the 1989-1990 eruptions, ash clouds were generated on and off for about a week. Redoubt then alternated between growing a lava dome and sending up ash clouds for about five months, Power said.
"I would be surprised if we don't see more," Power said.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Alaska Volcano Observatory was ready with warnings to flight officials when Alaska's Mount Redoubt blew, sending potentially deadly ash clouds north of Anchorage.
Readings from seismometers and atmospheric pressure sensors alerted scientists that an eruption had occurred. Weather radar confirmed the presence of an ash cloud that ascended more than 11 miles above sea level.
"Without instruments in the ground, we would not have been able to tell you this was coming," said John Power, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Volcano monitoring became a political issue when Jindal gave the Republican response to President Obama's message to Congress on the economic stimulus package. Jindal said the package was "larded with wasteful spending," including $140 million for volcano monitoring.
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Anchorage wrote Jindal and said volcano monitoring is a matter of life and death in his state. He made the point again after the latest eruptions.
"I sleep better knowing the scientists are at work at the AVO keeping track of this activity," he said by e-mail.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a joint program between the USGS, the University of Alaska and the state Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The observatory was formed in response to the 1986 eruption of Mount Augustine.
The observatory has a variety of tools to predict eruptions. As magma moves beneath a volcano before an eruption, it generates earthquakes, swells the surface of a mountain and sends out gases. The observatory samples gases, measures earthquake activity and watches for landscape deformities.
"Generally the earthquakes that are occurring at these volcanoes are too small to be felt unless you're standing right on the volcano," Power said.
Mount Redoubt, about 100 miles southwest of Alaska's largest city, first blew at night Sunday, and even after sunrise, was socked in by clouds, obscuring ash that that can clog a jet engine and knock aircraft from the sky.
Scientists with the volcano observatory last fall noted an increase in seismic activity at Redoubt and in January warned that an eruption was imminent. The warning level has been lowered and raised since then as the mountain cooled and heated up.
The explosions Sunday and Monday damaged three seismometers, including the one closest to the summit. They could have been hit by flying rock or their electronic circuitry could have been damaged by lighting that often accompanies an ash plume. Seven others seismometers continue to take readings on the mountain.
If Redoubt follows historic trends, there will be more eruptions in the next 48 hours, or in weeks to come.
During the 1989-1990 eruptions, ash clouds were generated on and off for about a week. Redoubt then alternated between growing a lava dome and sending up ash clouds for about five months, Power said.
"I would be surprised if we don't see more," Power said.
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The minority who build on these sites seek funds from the majority who acted wisely. When will common sense prevail.
Hey, I would love to live in Hawaii or Alaska, next to a volcano, if I thought that the Federal government would protect my decision with millions in taxpayer funds. Absolutely ridiculous.
Posted by jerseyneil at 3:25 PM : Mar 27, 2009
There is NO such thing as a "Tornado zone" Tornadoes more and more are being seen and experienced in the deep south as well as north as PA and CT. Even blizzards and ice storms are managing to disrupt and kill in 'hot spots' like florida and GA.
Wild fires are now routinely affecting areas in the south as well as they also being afflicted by drought.
The most potentially devastating earthquake fault is...right. You guessed it: The Missourri fault line, which, if it produced even a 6.9 or higher, is supposed to create an near ELE for the USA.
so Mr. know it all--where exactly should people live? And what events qualify or pass your personal test for responsible life styles? Not by beaches...or near volcanoes (which includes the Dakotas, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon...not where there's wildfires...so the Southwest and much of the southeast goes....not near rivers--they can flood...not the northeast--prone to blizzard and ice storms...nothing coastal--hurricanes, not the midwest--tornado alley
...Oh. We get it now. All 300 million Americans should join you in that Appalachian shack on Spit Holler.....
We?re pretty much hunkered down. Waiting for it to end, but the volcano isn?t quite yet so we?ll probably get more in the coming days. The ash can destroy plane engines, electronics and other systems that suck it up. It?s also not good for your lungs.
There are over 130 volcanoes and volcanic fields in Alaska, and about 40 active. Three of them are near Anchorage: Augustine, Spurr and Redoubt.
Perhaps now Bobby Jindal will understand why we need money to watch our volcanoes and no, we?re not referring to Mt. Redoubt as Mt. Jindal.
and to the fool who said basically if you are a victim of natural disaster you are on your own, any federal money is a waste - tell us where you live. I am pretty sure you drive over a bridge or on a highway that will fall on your empty head if our tax dollar did not inspect it for safety to protect your ______ b____
Mt. Ranier could produce pyroclastic flows that would incinerate thousands of people within minutes.
Mammoth lakes and Yellowstone could each produce volcanic explosions that would devastate the entire U.S., perhaps much of the world.
And that's just to name a few really bad scenarios that could happen.
But hell, if no one does the research to predict when these will happen (it is just a matter of time, after all) or how much warning they will give, then after such a catastrophe politicians can cover their ***** by saying "But no one saw it coming!" (Where have we heard that before?)
The minority who build on these sites seek funds from the majority who acted wisely. When will common sense prevail.
Hey, I would love to live in Hawaii or Alaska, next to a volcano, if I thought that the Federal government would protect my decision with millions in taxpayer funds. Absolutely ridiculous.
This would be like the Global Warming Sheeple having, not one, but two conferences to discuss the Al Gore-leone propagated myth only to have six inches of snow and freezing temperatures greet them each time
Wait... that DID happen. How amusing.