Gas emissions and the eruptions of Mount St. Helens through 1982

Journal Article · Fri Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.221.4618.1383· OSTI ID:6828873

Casadevall, T; Rose, W; Gerlach, T; Greenland, L P; Ewert, J; Wunderman, R; Symonds, R

The monitoring of gas emissions from Mount St. Helens includes daily airborne measurements of sulfur dioxide in the volcanic plume and monthly sampling of gases from crater fumaroles. The composition of the fumarolic gases has changed slightly since 1980: the water content increased from 90 to 98 percent, and the carbon dioxide concentrations decreased from about 10 to 1 percent. The emission rates of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide were at their peak during July and August 1980, decreased rapidly in late 1980, and have remained low and decreased slightly through 1981 and 1982. These patterns suggest steady outgassing of a single batch of magma has been added since mid-1980. The gas data were useful in predicting eruptions in August 1980 and June 1981.

• Research Organization: Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, WA
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6828873
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
FUMAROLES
CARBON DIOXIDE
MONITORING
SULFUR DIOXIDE
VOLCANIC GASES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ERUPTION
MT ST HELENS
PLUMES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHALCOGENIDES
FEDERAL REGION X
FLUIDS
GASES
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA
WASHINGTON
580202* - Geophysics- Volcanology- (1980-1989)