Iliamna Volcano: AVO increases alert level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow
The Alaska Volcano Observatory changed the Aviation Color Code of Iliamna Volcano to Yellow on Friday, March 9. Over the past three months the earthquake rate at the volcano has steadily increased and now exceeds normal background levels. Although it is not certain that this sustained increase in earthquake activity represents the movement of magma at depth, it is a significant change and AVO has increased the Alert Level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow.
Alaska Volcano Observatory joins up with FEMA to host course at GI on Feb. 16 -17
Workshop description:
Alaska Science Forum: Eroding islands, disappearing glaciers, lots of greenhouse gases
By nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu (Ned Rozell)
The latest meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco in December 2011 featured hundreds of talks about Earth science, some of those relating to Alaska (and some of those comprehensible to a non-scientist). Here are a few items from the notebook I carried around the Moscone Center:
Michael West
Dr. West works in the Seismology Lab and as part of the Alaska Volcano Observatory. His research is focused on observational seismology applications in tectonics, volcanoes and glaciers. A full description of his program can be found on his research pages.
Positions Held:
- Research Associate Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (2011 - Present)
- Research Assistant Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (2004 - 2011)
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, New Mexico State University (2001 - 2004)
Selected Publications:
- Gardine, M. and M. West (2011) Evidence of magma intrusion at Fourpeaked Volcano, Alaska in 2006-2007 from a rapid-response seismic network and volcanic gases, J. Volc. Geotherm. Res., 200, 192-200, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.11.018.
- Reyes, C.G. and M. E. West (2011) The Waveform Suite: A robust platform for manipulating waveforms in MATLAB. Seismo. Res. Lett., 82, 104-110.
- Gardine, M., M.E. West and T. Cox (2011) Dike emplacement near Parícutin volcano, Mexico in 2006, Bull. Volc., 73, 123,132, DOI: 10.1007/s00445-010-0437-9.
- Thompson, G. and M.E. West (2010) Real-time detection of earthquake swarms at Redoubt Volcano, 2009, Seismo. Res. Lett., 81, 505-513.
- West, M.E., C.F. Larsen, M. Truffer, S. O’Neel, and L. LeBlanc (2010) Glacier Microseismicity. Geology, 38, 319–322; doi: 10.1130/G30606.1.
- Nikulin, A., V. Levin, A. Shuler and M. West (2010) Anomalous seismic structure beneath the Klyuchevskoy group, Kamchatka, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L14311, doi:10.1029/2010GL043904.
- Buurman, H. and M.E. West (2010), Seismic precursors to volcanic explosions during the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 2 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 41–57.
- van Manen, S., J. Dehn., M. West, S. Blake and D. Rothery (2010), The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano; combined analyses of thermal satellite data and reduced displacement, chapter 23 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 553–567.
- Thelen, W., M. West, S. Senyukov (2010) Seismic Characterization of Fall 2007 Eruptive Sequence at Bezymianny Volcano, Russia. J. Volc. Geotherm. Res. 194, 201-213, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.05.010.
- Thelen, W., S. Malone, M. West. (2010) Repose-time and cumulative moment magnitude: a new tool for forecasting eruptions? Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L18301, doi:10.1029/2010GL044194.
- Amundson, J. M., M. Truffer, M.P. Lüthi, M. Fahnestock, M. West and R.J. Motyka (2008), Glacier, fjord, and seismic response to recent large calving events, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L22501, doi:10.1029/2008GL035281.
Jessica Larsen
Larsen is a Research Associate Professor with the Geophysical Institute. Jessica's graduate (UCSC) and post-graduate (CalTech and UAF) work has focused on experimental mineral physics applied to understanding water storage in the mantle, the fate of subducting oceanic crust and lithosphere, formation of the Earth’s atmosphere through shock loading experiments on mixtures of iron and serpentine.
Present Research Interests:
- Experimental Petrology Studies
- Petrology of Natural Volcanic Samples
- Field-based Mapping, Stratigraphy, and Hazard Assessment Studies (with the Alaska Volcano Observatory)
Selected Publications:
- M. Zimmer, T. Plank, E. Hauri, G. Yogodzinsky, P. Stelling, J. Larsen, B. Singer, B. Jicha, C. Mandeville, and C. Nye, The role of water in generating the calc-alkaline trend: New volatile data for Aleutian magmas and a new tholeiitic index, Journal of Petrology, 51, 2411-2444, 2010.
- T. Shea, L. Gurioli, J.F. Larsen, B.F. Houghton, J.E. Hammer, K.V. Cashman, Linking experimental and natural vesicle textures in the Vesuvius 79AD white pumice, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 192, 69-84, 2010
- L.J. Wong, J.F. Larsen, The Middle Scoria sequence: A Holocene Subplinian and phreatomagmatic eruption of Okmok volcano, Alaska. Bulletin of Volcanology, 72, 17-31, DOI: 10.1007/s00445-009-0301-y, 2010.
- J.F., Larsen, C.J. Nye, M.L. Coombs, M. Tilman, P. Izbekov, and C. Cameron, Petrology and geochemistry of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 15 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 335-382 and spreadsheets, 2010.
- J.F. Larsen, C.A. Neal, P. Webley, J. Freymueller, M. Haney, S. McNutt, D. Schneider, S. Prejean, and J. Schaefer, Eruption of Alaska volcano breaks historic pattern. EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 90, 173-174, 2009.
- T. Shea, J.F. Larsen, L. Gurioli, J.E. Hammer, B.F. Houghton, and R. Cioni, Leucite crystals: Surviving witness of magmatic processes preceding the 79AD eruption at Vesuvius, Italy. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 281, 88-98, 2009.
- J. Mongrain and J. F. Larsen, Spatial point pattern analysis applied to bubble nucleation in silicate melts. Computers and Geosciences, doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2009.01.008, 2009.
- B. Finney, S. Turner, C. Hawkesworth, R. George, J. Larsen, C. Nye, and J. Eichelberger, Magmatic differentiation at an island-arc caldera: Okmok volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Journal of Petrology, 49, 857-884, 2008.
- J.F. Larsen, Heterogeneous bubble nucleation and disequilibrium H2O exsolution in Vesuvius K-phonolite melts. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 175, 278-288, 2008.
- J. Mongrain, J.F. Larsen, and P.L. King, Rapid H2O exsolution, degassing and bubble collapse observed experimentally in K-phonolite melts. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 173, 178-184, 2008.
- L.D. Almberg, J.F. Larsen, J.C. Eichelberger, T. Vogel, and L. Patino, Comparison of eruptive and intrusive samples from Unzen Volcano, Japan: Effects of contrasting pressure-temperature-time paths, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 175, 60-70, 2008.
- J.F. Larsen, C.A. Neal, J.R. Schaefer, J.E. Begét, and C.J. Nye, Late Pleistocene and Holocene caldera-forming eruptions of Okmok Caldera, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, AGU Geophysical Monograph, Volcanism and Subduction: The Kamchatka Region, 343-364, 2007.
- J.F. Larsen, Volcanoes in a changing global climate, Geotimes 52, no. 5, May 2007.
Extended Publication List:
Jim Begét
Professional Memberships and Awards:
- Memberships
- American Geophysical Union
- American Quaternary Association
- Geological Society of America
- Alaska Geological Society
- International Association for the Study of Volcanology and the Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI)
- Alaska Quaternary Center (elected to board of directors, 1986-1990)
- International Quaternary Association (elected to Vice Presidency of the INQUA Commission on Tephrochronology and Volcanology, 1991-1995, and Presidency 19951999)
- U.S. National Committee, International Quaternary Association (National Research Council-National Academy of Sciences 2000-Present)
- Awards
- National Performance Review Award, Staff of Alaska Volcano Observatory, by Vice President Albert Gore (1997) --Recognized as one of the top 2000 active scientists worldwide at the end of the 20th century, International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England (1998)
- Named a Fellow of the Geological Society of America (1999)
- Chapter author in book, "Encyclopedia of Volcanoes, ed. Sigurdsson, Houghton, McNutt, Rymer, Stix , which received an award for Excellence in Professional/Scholarly Publishing for 1999 by the Association of American Publishers, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division in the Geography and Earth Science category
- Received the Andre Dumont Medal for excellence in the Geological Sciences, awarded by the Geological Society of Belgium (2001)
Positions Held:
- (6/96 – Present) Professor of Geology and Director of the Alaska Center for Tephrochronology, University of Alaska and Research Scientist, Alaska Volcano Observatory, and President, Commission on Tephrochronology and Volcanology of the International Quaternary Association (INQUA-COTAV 1995-1999), member U.S. National Quaternary Committee, U.S. National Research Council-National Academy of Sciences 2000-present.
- (6/91 – 5/96) Associate Professor of Geology and Director of the Alaska Center for Tephrochronology, University of Alaska and Research Scientist, Alaska Volcano Observatory, and President, Commission on Tephrochronology and Volcanology of the International Quaternary Association (INQUA-COTAV).
- (9/84 – 5/91) Assistant Professor of Geology and Director of the Alaska Center for Tephrochronology, University of Alaska and Vice-President, Commission on Tephrochronology of the International Quaternary Association
- (10/80 – 9/84) Exploration Geologist, Chevron Geothermal Company, San Francisco, California
- (5/78 – 5/80) Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Engineering Branch, Volcanic Hazards Project
- (1/75 – 8/77) Research Assistant, Quaternary Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
Present Research Interests:
- Tephrochronology
- Volcanology
- Quaternary Geology
- Surficial Processes
- Paleoclimatology
- Neotectonics
- Natural Hazards
Jeffrey Freymueller
I have been at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks since May 1995. I received a Bachelor of Science degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1985, and MS and PhD degrees from the University of South Carolina in 1988 and 1991 respectively. Following my PhD, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford University for three and a half years. Working in Alaska has been a tremendous opportunity, because so much happens right here; it is a signal-rich environment.
Professional Memberships and Awards:
- Professional Societies and Fellowships
- American Geophysical Union, 1986-present
- Geological Society of America, 1987-present
- Seismological Society of America, 1994-present
- Associate of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), 1993-present
- Individual Member, International Association of Geodesy (IAG), 2003-present
- Individual Member, International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI), 2003-present
- Awards
- NASA Group Achievement Award, Development of OASIS/GIPSY Global Positioning System Analysis Software, 1992
- Terris and Katrina Moore Prize for best research paper or accomplishment, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2000
- College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring and Advising, 2005
Positions Held:
- (2004 – Present) Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- (1999 – 2004) Associate Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- (1995 – 1999) Assistant Research Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute
- (1991 – 1995) Postdoctoral Research Associate, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- (1987 – 1991) Graduate Student, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
- (1986 – 1991) Member of the Technical Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
- (1985 – 1986) Graduate Student, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Present Research Interests:
- Understanding Active Earth Processes
- Understanding and Improving the tools we use to measure Active Earth Processes
- Active Crustal Deformation Processes
- Kinetics and Dynamics of Active Processes that shape the Earth
Selected Publications:
- Sato, T., S. Miura, W. Sun, T. Sugano, J. T. Freymueller, C. F. Larsen, Y. Ohta, H. Fujimoto, D. Inazu, and R. J. Motyka (2012), Gravity and uplift rates observed in southeast Alaska and their comparison with GIA model predictions, J. Geophys. Res., 117, B01401, doi:10.1029/2011JB008485. 2012.
- Sato, T., C. F. Larsen, S. Miura, Y. Ohta, H. Fujimoto, W. Sun, R. J. Motyka, J. T. Freymueller (2011), Reevaluation of the viscosity of upper mantle beneath Southeast Alaska, Tectonophysics, 511, 79-88, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2010.05.009.
- Grapenthin, R., and J. T. Freymueller (2011), The dynamics of a seismic wave field: Animation and analysis of kinematic GPS data recorded during the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, Japan, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L18308, doi:10.1029/2011GL048405.
- Freymueller, J. T., GPS – Tectonic Geodesy, in Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics, H. Gupta, ed., Springer-Verlag, 2011.
- Wang, Q., X. Qiao Xuejun, Q. Lan, J. T. Freymueller, S. Yang, C. Xu, Y. Yang, X. You, K. Tan, and Q. Shen, The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake: Rupture of deep faults in the 2008 Wenquan earthquake and uplift of the Longmen Shan, Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/ngeo1210, 2011.
- Kogan, M. G., N. F. Vasilenko, D. I. Frolov, J. T. Freymueller, G. M. Steblov, B. W. Levin, and A. S. Prytkov (2011), The mechanism of postseismic deformation triggered by the 2006–2007 great Kuril earthquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L06304, doi:10.1029/2011GL046855.
- Freymueller, J. T., A new mechanical model for Tibet, Nature, 472, 48-49, 2011. (News and Views piece). 2011.
- Freymueller, J. T., Active Tectonics of Plate Boundary Zones, and the Continuity of Plate Boundary Deformation from Asia to North America, Current Science, 99, 1719-1732, 2010.
- Freymueller, J. T., and A. M. Kaufman, Changes in the Magma System During the 2008 Eruption of Okmok Volcano, Alaska, Based on GPS Measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 115, B12415, doi:10.129/2010JB007716, 2010.
- Cervelli, P., T. J. Fournier, J. T. Freymueller, J. A. Power, M. Lisowski, and B. A. Pauk, Geodetic Constraints on Magma Movement and Withdrawal During the 2006 Eruption of Augustine Volcano, in The 2006 Eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska, Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., editors, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, 2010.
- Sun, W., S. Miura, T. Sato, T. Sugano, J. T. Freymueller, M. Kaufman, C. Larsen, R. Cross , and D. Inazu, Gravity measurements in southeastern Alaska reveal negative gravity rate of change caused by Glacial Isostatic Adjustment, J. Geophys. Res., 115, B12406, doi:10.1029/2009JB007194, 2010.
Extended Publication List:
Peter Webley
Dr Webley joined the Geophysical Institute in February 2009 after arriving in Alaska in Fall 2005 and spending several years as a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center. His research interests lie in volcanic ash cloud and plume detection through thermal and visible remote sensing as well as volcanic ash cloud modeling using Lagrangian transport and dispersion models.
Professional Memberships and Awards:
- WOVO Representative, 2008 - Present
- IAVCEI Member, 2005 - Present
- AGU Member, 2005 - Present
Positions Held:
- (2009 – Present) Assistant Research Professor, Geophysical Institute, UAF
- (2005 – 2009) Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Faculty), University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
- (2003 – 2005) Postdoctoral Research Associate at Kings College London
Present Research Interests:
- Operational Monitoring of Volcanoes
- Puff Dispersion Model
- Eruption Source Parameters
- Google Earth Applications
Selected Publications:
- Webley, P. W., Dean, K., Peterson, R., Steffke, A., Harrild, M., and Groves, J., (2011). Dispersion Modelling of Volcanic Ash Clouds: North Pacific Eruptions, the past 40 years: 1970 – 2010. Natural Hazards.
- De Angelis, S., McNutt, S. R., and Webley, P. W., (2011) Evidence of atmospheric gravity waves during the 2008 eruption of Okmok volcano from seismic and remote sensing observations , Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L10303, doi:10.1029/2011GL047144, 2011.
- Rybin, A., Chibisova, M., Webley, P. W., Steensen, T., Izbekov, P., Neal, C., and Realmuto, V., (2011). The June 2009 eruption of Sarychev Peak volcano, Matua Island, Central Kuriles. Bulletin of Volcanology, 73 (9), 1377 - 1392. DOI: 10.1007/s00445-011-0481-0.
- Gong, W., Meyer, F., Webley, P. W., and Lu, Z., (2011). Method of InSAR Atmosphere correction for volcano activity monitoring. IGARSS 2011.
- Liu, S., Mika, A., Gong, W., Hanssen, R., Meyer, F., Morton, D., and Webley, P. W., (2011). The role of weather models in mitigation of tropospheric delay for SAR interferometry. IGARRS 2011.
- Webley, P.W. (2011). Four Dimensional Volcanic Ash Cloud Predictions in Google Earth, with a special case of an ash-aviation encounter. Computer and Geosciences Special Issue: Virtual Globes, 37 (1), 25 – 37. doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2010.02.005.
- Webley, P.W., Dean, K.G., Dehn, J., Bailey, J.E., and Peterson, R., (2010), Volcanic-ash dispersion modeling of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano Using the Puff Model, chapter 21 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S.G.S. Prof. Paper 1769, 482–501 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1769/chapters/p1769_chapter21.pdf].
- Bailey, J.E., Dean, K.G., Dehn, J., and Webley, P.W., (2010), Integrated satellite observations of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 20ofPower, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S.G.S. Professional Paper 1769, 481–506 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1769/chapters/p1769_chapter20.pdf].
- Cahill, C.F., Rinkleff, P.G., Dehn, J., Webley, P.W., Cahill, T.A. and Barnes, D. E., (2010). Aerosol Measurements from a Recent Volcanic Eruption: Implications for Volcanic Ash Transport Predictions. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 198, (1-2), 76-80. doi: 10.016/j.volgeores.2010.08.012.
- Vaughan, G., and Webley, P. W., (2010). Satellite Observations of the March 2009 Hunga Ha’apai Volcanic Eruption, Tonga. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 198, (1- 2), 177-186. doi: 10.016/j.volgeores.2010.08.017.
Extended Publication List:
