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3 geologists confirm Anatahan emits steam, gas, vog
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Posted on Apr 16 2006
Three geologists who visited Anatahan Volcano found steam and gas being emitted from the southwest crater wall above a discolored lake in the east crater.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey and Emergency Management Office, the geologists’ testing confirmed the presence of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide in the plume.
“The plume was rising to an altitude of less than 2 kilometers and blowing to the northwest as brownish vog layer. No ash was falling from the plume on the island,” the USGS and EMO said in their current update on Anatahan.
Geologists Dr. James E. Quick, Bill Burton, and James Kauahikaua visited the volcano last Sunday, April 9.
Based on the geologists’ findings as well as satellite surveillance, USGS concluded that Anatahan is emitting steam, gas, and vog.
Meteorological conditions may blow this vog over CNMI and Guam, as what happened earlier in April, the two agencies said.
Two weeks ago, EMO, in its volcanic haze and sulfur advisory, stressed that there are no significant sulfurous volcanic gases in the air over the Marianas based on the assessment from the National Weather Service Guam.
EMO said information coming from the National Weather Service and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory indicated that Anatahan has been putting out a weak gas and steam plume over the last month.
The gas and plume, EMO said, have been steadily blowing or tracking southwest away from Saipan.
Quick recently disclosed that USGS is planning to provide EMO with equipment needed to monitor the concentration of volcanic gases in the Marianas atmosphere.
Quick said that this June they will try to give EMO with SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) and H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide) sensors.
Quick said it is important for EMO to acquire these sensors so that when people in the Marianas start noticing these gas smells and observing haze on the air they can be provided information on the concentration of gases.
He explained that with these sensors people can understand whether the gases pose a true threat or not to the public health.
