New Land Bulge Discovered in Oregon!

[Kitergal]

SCIENCE & SPACE <http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space>

 

Growing land bulge found in Oregon

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2005; Posted: 1:00 p.m. EDT (17:00 GMT)

 

 

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) -- A large, slow-growing volcanic bulge in

Western Oregon is attracting the attention of seismologists who say that

the rising ground could be the beginnings of a volcano or simply magma

shifting underground.

 

Scientists said that the 100 square-mile bulge, first discovered by

satellite, poses no immediate threat to nearby residents.

 

"It is perfectly safe for anyone over there," said Michael Lisowski,

geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano

Observatory in Vancouver, Washington.

 

The bulge is rising at a rate of about 1.4 inches per year, according to

a report issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

 

The bulge is located in a sparsely populated area 3 miles southwest of

South Sister, a mountain 25 miles west of Bend, Oregon.

 

Lisowski said the unnamed bulge was created because of a big cavity,

estimated to be about 4.5 miles below the surface, that is filling with

fluid.

 

The fluid is likely magma, but could also be water. It was described in

the report as a lake 1 mile across and 65 feet deep.

 

The bulge is a bare patch of land with no residents, and anyone in the

area would not be able to see, feel or smell anything, seismologists

said.

 

South Sister is one of three volcanic peaks called The Three Sisters,

which are part of the Cascade mountain range. The range includes four of

the 18 most active volcanoes in the United States, according to the U.S.

Geological Survey.

 

The South Sister probably erupted last time about 2,000 years ago,

seismologists said.

 

Further north, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens killed 57 people,

destroyed at least 230 square miles of forest and spewed ash for

hundreds of miles.

 

Mount St. Helens has rumbled back to life recently, spitting lava, rocks

and ash, but has not had another big eruption.

 

A lava dome is growing in the huge crater created in Mount St. Helens,

but that event appears to be unrelated to the South Sister bulge,

seismologists said.

 

"Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens

continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of

steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash," the U.S.

Geological Survey said in a daily report.

 

Scientists said they would continue to monitor the bulge, most likely

over a number of years.

 

"We haven't seen anything like this in the Cascade range," Lisowski

says, "although we have only been looking in the last 20 years."

[sweatinoutliquor]

That is pretty neat. I thought I noticed that bulge growing the other day when walking the dog. I said, "Hey Fido, does that 100 square mile bulge look like it's grown .0038 inches since yesterday?" He didn't answer (cause he's a dog and doesn't talk) but I bet he agreed.

[olyclimber]

I'm gonna go get the first ascent on that thing. Keep it a secret though, I don't want anyone scooping me on my proj.

[sobo]

Send, oly! Send!

[mec]

think of all the new freshiez that will be comin too.

[Illini]

Two years ago I listened to a presentation by the Professor and his student that first theorized this. If I remember right they were taking water samples in streams and measuring sulfate levels. They were trying to find unknown hot springs. The level and pervasiveness of the sulfate levels led them to hypothesis that there was actually a large up welling of magma coming into contact with ground water. They were scoffed at untill another pass by a satillite with ground scanning radar proved the change in elevation.