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All set for Anatahan expedition today
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Posted on May 13 2005
All is set for the attempt to repair and replace the two seismic monitoring stations that are currently down and inoperable on Anatahan in the Northern Islands.
Dr. Andy Lockhart, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey out of the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, and geophysicist John Camacho of the Emergency Management Office were scheduled to leave Saipan on board a helicopter at 6am this morning with equipment and device needed for the stations.
The two were expected to arrive at Anatahan at 7am and, according to EMO public information officer Ben Cepeda, were given two hours to work on sending signals to Saipan.
“They’re going to load the device, leave, and we’re giving them two hours [to work at Anatahan] before checking if we can already receive the signals from them,” Cepeda said in an interview yesterday.
Cepeda said a new antenna has been installed at the old EMO office on Capitol Hill and that by 9am, EMO seismic personnel team will be at the site to monitor for signals from Lockhart and Camacho.
Lockhart earlier disclosed that he will serve as a consultant in assisting EMO bolster the seismic monitoring effort at Anatahan.
Before the expedition, only one of the three stations on the island was functional. Another, located at the southern part of the island, might be inaccessible and would be replaced with a new station. Due to its proximity to the erupting crater, Lockhart said the two-man team will not be able to repair the station.
Lockhart said the third station is located at the center of the island and high on the western rim of the crater. He hopes to repair the device but this would depend on wind direction.
“If we get lucky with the wind, I think we might be able to get in there and fix it. I think the only problem there is if the wind is dropping the ash plume on the site [itself],” Lockhart said.
The damaged station will be brought back to Saipan for repair before being returned to Anatahan on a second expedition, tentatively scheduled for this Monday.
Cepeda said only two individuals will participate in today’s mission due to the hefty load, as well as the need for a team to await signals at the old EMO site.
