Mount Spurr Volcano in Alaska: Increased Seismic Activity Signals Potential Explosive Eruption

At Mount Spurr, a stratovolcano situated 130 kilometers to the west of Anchorage, Alaska, there have been reports of atypical seismic activity and gas discharges. An increase in earthquake occurrences, the melting of snow and ice on its slopes, along with heightened levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions, indicate possible magma movement beneath the volcano’s surface. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has noted that the ongoing activity points toward a likely eruption, representing a change from earlier evaluations that included both dormancy and eruption as potential outcomes.

Scientific Insights Regarding the Activity of Mount Spurr

According to findings from the AVO, the current unrest period is likely to lead to an explosive eruption. Matt Haney, the Scientist-in-Charge at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), informed Live Science that prior eruptions in 1953 and 1992 took place at Crater Peak, a vent situated 3.2 kilometers away from the main summit. The last recorded eruption from the summit appears to have occurred over 5,000 years ago, making it improbable for magma to penetrate the solidified rock in that vicinity.

Historical documents reveal that Crater Peak’s most recent eruptions projected ash clouds 15,240 meters into the atmosphere, impacting Anchorage with significant ashfall. In 1992, one of the explosions caused an accumulation of 3.1 millimeters of ash over the city, while the eruption in 1953 resulted in an ash layer of 6.4 millimeters.

Signs of an Upcoming Eruption

Reports indicate that should magma movement persist, volcanic tremors will likely become the primary indicator of an approaching eruption. Unlike the brief seismic events recorded over the past year, volcanic tremors consist of sustained shaking that can last from minutes to days. Previous eruptions in the area, such as Mount Spurr’s event in 1992 and Mount Redoubt’s eruption in 2009, were preceded by periods of tremor lasting weeks or months. Scientists are closely observing the situation, as the emergence of tremors could signal an escalation towards an eruption.