Week 4- Volcanoes

Mount St. Helens- Washington, U.S.

I visited Mount St. Helens to see the cite of the 1980 volcanic eruption in the United States. The is considered the most destructive volcano in the U.S. I went on this trip with my brother and we were both fascinated by the size and location of it. It is located in the state of Washington. It is located on top of a mountain and there are many ridges and springs that are located around it. Mount St. Helen erupted the first time due to an Earthquake that was a magnitude of 4.2 beneath its surface. This caused fissures on the mountain's north face. When the volcano erupted it was explosive because it burst violently and sent ash and gas into the air. 

The May 18 eruption sent volcanic ash, steam, water, and debris to a height of 60,000 feet (18,288 meters), while the mountain lost 1,300 feet (396 meters) of altitude. Fifty-seven people were killed or are still missing. USGS Photograph taken on May 18, 1980, by Robert Krimmel.

Credit: Robert Krimmel, USGS

You can see that there is evidence that there were past eruptions because it has formed domes and many other indents to the mountains surface. The eruption took place on the north side and there has been damage since then. This was the most destructive in the U.S. because it left many people's homes destroyed, the air was toxic, and many people had to leave the area. From visiting this location, you could tell that something major had happened and that there was a serious event that took place. The volcano never looked the same and today could still erupt if something happens. Mount St. Helens has erupted multiple times throughout the years. But the most fatal once was in 1980. The most recently eruption was in 2008, but it was consider relatively small. From my visit I could notice the large cone that was formed with lava, ash, and other deposits. You can see the mountain has many layers to it, and many of the domes were destroyed when it erupted. My brother and I enjoyed our visit there and it was interesting to see where a volcano erupted in the United States. 

 A snow covered Mount St. Helens

Photo by: National Park
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument