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The eruption alert at El Mayon has been raised to Level IV, "Scream and Run Away".
*****
Interestingly, the latest bulletin shows a steep drop in activity.
"The number of volcanic quakes decreased from the previous 109 to only 21 events since six (6) o’clock yesterday morning. The Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emission rate also decreased from a high of 12,745 tonnes per day (t/d) measured on 07 August to 7,829 t/d yesterday."
Maybe it's done. Maybe it's just clogged up and building pressure... My personal guess is that Monday's explosions degassed it, and it'll be quiet for a few days.
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I'm always conflicted at these moments. On the one hoof, I don't want a bunch of people to get incinerated, or their property destroyed. On the other hoof, I do want to see a huge explosive eruption, such as Mayon has the potential to deliver. In the end, it's not like I can actually have any effect on the outcome anyway, so I might as well enjoy watching the eruption if it happens. Writing to my congressman asking him to stop the volcano really isn't going to do very much.
*****
I recall some years back when La Soufriere was busy destroying most of Montserrat, and everyone had to be evacuated, they interviewed an outspokenly indignant native on the news. He was of the opinion that this was America's fault, since if the volcano were threatening white people, we'd of course do something to stop the eruption. I suppose it's nice that people have faith in us.
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Ohioans remain the sulphur dioxide kings of the United States at 2973 tons per day. We're only putting out about a quarter to a half as much as Mayon, though.
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That works out to about a half pound per day per Ohioan. That's a pretty substantial amount, about 4 moles or so, roughly 3.5 cubic feet, or about 100 litres. That's about 1.13 billion litres per day for Ohio.
*****
The surface area of the earth is about 510 million square kilometres.
100 litres covers 1 sq metre to 10cm, or 1 square kilometre to 1x10^-5 cm.
Evey year, Ohio can cover the world in sulphur dioxide to a depth of about 0.2mm.
*****
Ohio hasn't had any active volcanoes since pre-Cambrian times. The state's underlain with a 7 mile thick granite/rhyolite bed, though, so things were exciting at one point.
*****
Once, long ago, Ohio went to war with the Evil State of Michigan.
*****
Interestingly, the latest bulletin shows a steep drop in activity.
"The number of volcanic quakes decreased from the previous 109 to only 21 events since six (6) o’clock yesterday morning. The Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emission rate also decreased from a high of 12,745 tonnes per day (t/d) measured on 07 August to 7,829 t/d yesterday."
Maybe it's done. Maybe it's just clogged up and building pressure... My personal guess is that Monday's explosions degassed it, and it'll be quiet for a few days.
*****
I'm always conflicted at these moments. On the one hoof, I don't want a bunch of people to get incinerated, or their property destroyed. On the other hoof, I do want to see a huge explosive eruption, such as Mayon has the potential to deliver. In the end, it's not like I can actually have any effect on the outcome anyway, so I might as well enjoy watching the eruption if it happens. Writing to my congressman asking him to stop the volcano really isn't going to do very much.
*****
I recall some years back when La Soufriere was busy destroying most of Montserrat, and everyone had to be evacuated, they interviewed an outspokenly indignant native on the news. He was of the opinion that this was America's fault, since if the volcano were threatening white people, we'd of course do something to stop the eruption. I suppose it's nice that people have faith in us.
*****
Ohioans remain the sulphur dioxide kings of the United States at 2973 tons per day. We're only putting out about a quarter to a half as much as Mayon, though.
*****
That works out to about a half pound per day per Ohioan. That's a pretty substantial amount, about 4 moles or so, roughly 3.5 cubic feet, or about 100 litres. That's about 1.13 billion litres per day for Ohio.
*****
The surface area of the earth is about 510 million square kilometres.
100 litres covers 1 sq metre to 10cm, or 1 square kilometre to 1x10^-5 cm.
Evey year, Ohio can cover the world in sulphur dioxide to a depth of about 0.2mm.
*****
Ohio hasn't had any active volcanoes since pre-Cambrian times. The state's underlain with a 7 mile thick granite/rhyolite bed, though, so things were exciting at one point.
*****
Once, long ago, Ohio went to war with the Evil State of Michigan.
