Mount Spurr Volcano Showing Signs of Activity

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has elevated the level-of-concern color code for Mt. Spurr Volcano to yellow in reponse to recent restlessness, including shallow seismic activity, emissions of gas and steam, and the widening of the summit pit, where hot magma beneath the surface of the crater has melted the ice and snow cover above. The pictures at right from the AVO show the summit of Mt. Spurr on July 7 (above) and August 1, 2005. According to a report (pdf) released by the AVO on October 10, "[T]he observations indicate that new molten rock (magma) has intruded deep beneath Mount Spurr. In response, AVO raised the level-of-concern color code to yellow. Eruptions, however, do not always follow such activity. Most times the magma never reaches the surface but instead harmlessly cools miles beneath the ground. At this time, it is impossible to forecast whether the current activity will culminate in an eruption or slowly diminish."