AVO Raises Alert Status to Yellow after Increased Seismicity at Little Sitkin Volcano

www.avo.alaska.edu...

Daily Update
At approximately 19:15 AKDT (04:15 UTC) last night, August 29, a swarm of high-frequency earthquakes began at Little Sitkin volcano. This anomalous seismic activity continued through the night and has increased this morning. No eruptive activity is currently indicated. Clouds obscure satellite images of the area.

AVO is closely monitoring the situation and will issue further updates as conditions change.

Although a 4-station seismic network was installed on Little Sitkin Island in 2005, the volcano has not formally been on AVO's list of seismically monitored volcanoes because of chronic telemetry problems resulting in intermittent and sporadic recording of seismic data. Recent work in June 2012 on the receiving station on Amchitka Island resolved most of the communication issues, and data from the 4 stations on Little Sitkin Island are currently recorded and processed, and AVO continues efforts to establish background seismic levels at the volcano.

Of course what they are not telling you is the fact that I sent them an email way back on July 2, after I spotted increased, rapid fire seismicity at a low level there.

And she has ramped up in average magnitude slightly over the last hours. Yeppers, I got the "eyes" on it. But fact of the matter is, LS is at sort of the very end of the food chain in the Aleutians, and not really all that important. Not until there is ash to 25,000 ft that is, when scientists must provide a warning to aviation. When I asked my contact if they would like me to institute watch overnight I got no reply. And I asked twice. But of course I'll be watching anyway- lol, and they probably know that.

Just another footnote, not really all that important a story- yet.

Dug up a pic of the recent seismicity for you guys:



Sourced from:
www.avo.alaska.edu...

with appropriate filters engaged.

Like most volcanoes, the seismicity comes in spurts and then dies off, and then cranks up again. Remember, as one of my contacts said "When it comes to volcanoes, prepare for the marathon and not the sprint" - and boy were they right. Look at what happened at Iliamna, when I was on watch for that one. Cranked up good but then died down and out. They still have not dropped the alert level on that one, even though seismicity has all but ceased.

BUT I applaud they're erring on the side of caution, raising the alert level, and want to make that clear.