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The following is an e-mail I received today from a volcano listserv. My thoughts and prayers go out to their friends and family.

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PHIVOLCS Scientists and PHIVOLCS former director died in a helicopter crash
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From: Raymond Patrick R. Maximo
Message sent on 04/28/05 at 1:47am US Pacific Standard Time

28 April 2005

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has
received official reports that the PHIVOLCS contingent aboard the helicopter
that crashed all have died. The PHIVOLCS contingent includes:

        Name                    Position                   Age
1.      Dr. Jessie A. Daligdig  Associate Scientist, DOST  44 years old
2.      Dr. Norman M. Tungol    Chief SRS, GGRDD           40 years old
3.      Mr. Dindo V. Javier     SR Analyst,                41 years old
4.      Mr. Orlando S. Abengoza SR Assistant               49 years old

This contingent was together with former PHIVOLCS Director Raymundo S.
Punongbayan, governor of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and local
coordinator of Earthquake and Megacities Initiative (EMI), as part of an
investigation team for the assessment of natural hazards in Dingalan, Aurora
and Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija for the identification of possible safe sites for
the resettlement /rehabilitation of communities affected by the 2004
typhoons.

The institute is one with the grief and sorrow of their respective family
members and mourns this great loss to the Philippine scientific community.

PHIVOLCS-DOST

Mt. Saint Helen’s isn’t the only erupting volcano in North America. Colima is an active volcano in Mexico.

Mount St. Helens update from: Curtis R Manley

“A steam release began at 9:03 am PDT today, October 5, 2003, generating a steam and ash plume that completely filled the crater and rose above the summit (to about 12,000 to 13,000 feet altitude) and was carried to the NNE by the prevailing wind. Steam and ash release continued for roughly an hour. More ash was released than on October 4, and an ashfall advisory was in effect until 2 pm PDT for the southern Washington Cascades, but then was cancelled around noon as the plume dispersed. Light ashfall was reported in several small communities downwind. Seismicity decreased significanly during and after the event but did not cease.

“After the air in the crater cleared, it was possible to see the Oct. 1 vent in the glacial ice adjacent to the southern edge of the dome. The vent has widened and is filled with a meltwater pond about 120 feet across filled with floating ice blocks and possibly bubbling with gas. The water itself is not boiling.

“Uplift has continued at the interface of the glacier and dome immediately East of the Oct. 1 vent. Estimates by the USGS are that this portion of the dome has been uplifted about 150 feet since the beginning of the current unrest. A new, vigorous fumarole has developed in a small vent on the dome just North of the Oct. 1 vent.

“Todays ash will be sampled and analyzed for a juvenile magmatic component.

“The most recent USGS update can be found at:
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Cascades/CurrentActivity/current_updates.htm”

I’m leaving tomorrow morning on a four day field trip for my volcanology class.

We’re going to:

Saturday- Jemez Mountains
Sunday-Zuni Bandera basalt field
Monday- Sunset Crater and the San Francisco Volcanic Field

I’m also very excited about Mt. St. Helen’s. I almost wish we’d turn the vehicles north tomorrow and go to Washington instead.

Pacific Northwest Seismography Network
Thanks again Hal.

Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Cam. Thank you Hal.

CNN Story: Small eruption possible for St. Helens (via Hal).

Here’s an article from www.MantlePlumes.org on mantle plumes, or the lack thereof, on Venus.