This post follows on from a discussion I had yesterday in this very forum - people expressed and interest so here goes.

My father is a vulcanologist with a leading university here in the UK. He does a lot of contract work for various government bodies etc around the world and this week he was called up to fly to the US for a 'special project' investigating heightened activity in the California area by the USGS.

He has done work for them before, notably, he remembers being called up in similar circumstances - by exactly the same guy who called this time - in the week preceding Mt St Helens! Obviously this is no suggestion something on this magnitude is imminent but interesting none the less - and certainly doesn't rule it out.

There has been a lot of rumour recently about something big about to happen - earthquake maybe. I've scanned the threads but don't really understand where this came from - maybe someone could quote the OP for people in this thread?

Anyway my father is away right now and in the field so I haven't spoken to him for 4 days now. He hasn't yet elaborated on what exactly he is doing.

In the past he has worked for the US dept. defence and state dept both in the US and all over the world - and has worked on classified missions, although from what I can gather these are probably nothing more excited than contingency planning / exercises.

Does anyone else know of any other scientists being called up to the Cali area recently? Or seen anything unusual if you have been out hiking or whatever?

This might just be coincidence but seems interesting due to the rumours of impending quake.

Also interesting that 'quake lights' were apparently spotted around the Lake Tahoe area a few days ago - (post was on here but I can't find it anymore). I dont give much credence to these as it's my father's opinion that although occasionally lights CAN appear after earthquakes they are in no way precursors to having a quake and in 9/10 times are someone mistaking something else for the phenomena.

What do people think??

UPDATE

My dad called - and he 'can't speak about what he is doing' - so open to suggestions on what this might be. Anyone any experience of US keeping geological projects classified?

Does the USGS even have classified level projects?

there is a good thread to follow here: www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread355403/pg77
im sure you know about that one already.. lol

There has been ALOT of EQ swarming around old volcanoes in cali / sw U.S
at a fairly shallow depth too.
also an uptick in geothermal activity.

im sure something is going on.. and to be honest, I don't think they really know yet.

The trona swarm is under a old volcanic area.
and is a unusual in the way it is happening.
4.4 14.9 mi NNE of Trona, CA Dec 10 2008 00:28:25 UTC 35.977 -117.312 10365233
4.0 14.4 mi N of Trona, CA Dec 02 2008 16:53:09 UTC 35.971 -117.322 14407020
3.7 14.4 mi N of Trona, CA Dec 02 2008 16:41:19 UTC 35.971 -117.321 14407012
3.8 15.2 mi NNE of Trona, CA Dec 02 2008 11:23:44 UTC 35.980 -117.307 14406888
4.1 14.0 mi N of Trona, CA Nov 30 2008 13:03:06 UTC 35.967 -117.327 14406304
4.0 14.2 mi N of Trona, CA Nov 29 2008 21:14:09 UTC 35.970 -117.327 14406196
3.9 14.4 mi N of Trona, CA Nov 25 2008 04:11:36 UTC 35.972 -117.328 14405360

There has been no clear main shock and they are getting stronger.
very strange.

Do you guys think the resort area may getting ready to pop its top, if I remember correctly, that ara of peaks are volcanic and have been dormant for a very long time. Also to you think that your father may be evaluating cetain effects caused by haarp trials?

Who knows as far as HARP goes.. I doubt they would tell vulcanologists if this was what they were working on.

What is the proposed mechanism for HARP causing earthquakes - I have heard people suggest the link before but never explained it properly.

As I mentioned in the OP - the classified stuff he has worked on in the past - from what I have determined from what he HAS said seems like contingency planning for eruptions etc.

When was the last major eruption in Cali? Where are the active volcanoes - I'm in the UK so don't know about this - is anything near a major population centre?

I guess it must be something big and significant (even if it is just a contingency exercise) as they called in my father from the UK - and surely if it was routine they would just use US vulcanologists??

I should state that my fathers area of study is pre-detection of activity - although this may not be so significant as he has worked on a variety of stuff in the past in his consultancy/private work.

I am in California and here is a link I found with volcano locations. The Long Valley Caldera may be the one in question. Very, very interesting.
California Volcano Locations

We have earthquake drill a lot, but never any volcano drills. I'm thinking RUN!

[edit on 10-12-2008 by blujay]

[edit on 10-12-2008 by blujay]


[edit on 10-12-2008 by blujay]

Could you give us some more information on your fathers credentials, maybe some of his educational background or maybe even a uni name? Maybe information on the department he's gone to visit? Not that I don't believe you. obviously.

My father is with the university of Bristol where he lectures on geology and in involved in research into pre-detection of geological activity (his role on the team specifically centres around volcanoes). The project has been live for like over ten years now and is the oldest in the world I believe). They are closely affiliated with a USGS team out of Yellowstone.

He was called up by the USGS to fly to Sacramento as soon as possible - not sure which department (or if they have departments - i have no idea how it is structured). He takes these jobs as they pay incredibly well.. like several thousand dollars for a weeks work plus all of his travel expenses - so with christmas around the corner no surprise he took the work (what I am saying is it isn't necessarily a juicy project for him to have taken it).

Very interesting thread and I appreciate you informing us of your Dads involvement in predetection. I have my closest relatives in Redding, Shasta Lake area, just a couple of hours North of Sacramento.

I try to watch Mnt. Shasta quite closely, however lately the information has been getting harder to come by and alot less informative.

I respect your Fathers Privacy and would never ask for him to devulge anything which would loose him a good paying and interesting job, but...

Try to ask him for leads as to where we could look for potential leaks into what is happening that would call him into the area.

Thankyou so much for trying your best to bring us this news.

I agree, thanks so much for letting us know about this. Keep us up to date if you hear more from your father. This is truely interesting and scary at the same time. I pray a large incident is not about to happen. But you sure can't stop good old mother nature. Thanks again!

Originally posted by Dutty_Rag
UPDATE

My dad called - and he 'can't speak about what he is doing' - so open to suggestions on what this might be.

Can he tell you how long he will be in the USA? Can you assess his mood from the tone of his voice?

What would be most interesting and helpful is if you knew where he was working. California is far bigger than many countries.