Alaska Volcano Observatory Forced to Drop Monitoring of Three Volcanoes

The AVO has had to drop monitoring of three of their volcanoes, increasing the risk to aviation.

AVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Little Sitkin (CAVW #1101-05-)

Current Volcano Alert Level: UNASSIGNED
Previous Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL

Current Aviation Color Code: UNASSIGNED
Previous Aviation Color Code: GREEN

Issued: Friday, March 29, 2013, 12:15 PM AKDT (20130329/2015Z)
Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2013/A7
Location: N 51 deg 57 min E 178 deg 32 min
Elevation: 3898 ft (1188 m)
Area: Aleutians Alaska

Volcanic Activity Summary: AVO can no longer seismically monitor the following volcanoes because of seismic station outages. As a result, AVO is unable to (1) assess whether these volcanoes may be building towards an eruption and (2) quickly confirm or dismiss reports of activity at these volcanoes.

Ugashik-Peulik
Ukinrek Maars
Little Sitkin

Because these volcanoes are no longer seismically monitored, they will move from volcano alert level Normal and aviation color code Green to "unassigned." As at other volcanoes without real-time seismic networks, AVO will continue to use satellite data, infrasound, and reports from pilots and ground observers to detect signs of eruptive activity.

www.avo.alaska.edu...

Now it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to realize that this is most likely due to budget cuts/lack of funding. I don't know that for sure, and it would be great if someone contacted the AVO to find out.

One of the volcanoes dropped, Little Sitkin, acted up recently with increased seismicity and even tornillos. I was actively watching and monitoring that volcano in real time, and did a thread about it here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

But can't do that no more. Nope. All stations are out. Kaput. No more real time data for me, them, or you. So if you happen to be flying near the thing and it erupts, it might bring down your plane.

The military budget in this country is KILLING us. Sucking us dry like a vampire. Just one less damned f22 and they could probably fix a bunch of stations up in Alaska.

Interestingly, they mention infrasound monitoring. But that will only alert them if there is a loud, explosive eruption.

And you know what would be GREAT? Is if one of those DID erupt and took the lives of some of the very people benefiting from all that military funding.

Strangely enough I almost shrugged off the title thinking no big deal, TA will still be watching for us......
Then I see that you can't!

Well, so much for the comfort of knowing someone has our back up there. Luckily I live far enough away that I wouldn't be effected by an eruption. Sadly, not everyone can say that.

Sorry TA, I know you are pulling your hair out over this.

Originally posted by Doodle19815
Strangely enough I almost shrugged off the title thinking no big deal, TA will still be watching for us......
Then I see that you can't!

That is correct. I cannot, and neither can the AVO. Their stations, or some part of telemetry (the equipment in the path from seismometer to observatory) are down. And they wouldn't drop them off the monitored list if it was a fixable situation, and they had the funds for it.

I have already sent an email to one of my contacts about this. Will advise if I get a response.

UPDATE:

I have now received a response from someone I trust, and who knows about this.

And it is CONFIRMED that it is due to budget cuts and lack of funding. In fact, they commented that the AVO budget has decreased for several years - and that they can no longer afford to maintain the telemetry involved with monitoring these particular volcanoes.

I can also comment that MANY of the stations at other volcanoes are in desperate need of repair or upgrading. The conditions of the stations at Redoubt, for example, totally suck. And Spurr. And plenty more. All throughout their system, they seem to be hanging on by a thread, with only one or two stations working anymore, and many of those affected by serious telemetry errors. I watch real time data off their network all the time, and can attest to this myself. In fact, just setting up monitoring at any of their volcanoes has become a real chore- because you have pick the right stations that show the least errors.