When a volcano is dormant, it typically doesn’t tend to make much noise. However, the Iliamna Volcano in Alaska is defying what we thought we knew about volcanos by rumbling despite being marked dormant for over a century.
According to a report from ABC News, scientists claim that the Iliamna Volcano, a large volcano found in the Alaskan wilderness, has been rumbling pretty consistently, especially in recent days. In fact, reports indicate that the volcano saw a nearly continuous stream of seismic activity across several hours.
While some suspect that the volcano’s activity could be signs of an impending eruption, others, like NASA’s Earth Observatory, say that it’s likely just rumbling due to avalanches in the area.
Over a century of dormancy
While there’s no doubt that the nearly 10,000-foot Iliamna Volcano could wreak havoc if it erupted today, NASA doesn’t believe an eruption is imminent. According to a post shared by NASA’s Earth Observatory, the volcano hasn’t erupted since 1867. However, it still manages to “rumble” every few years. This rumbling, the agency says, is likely just a sign of nearby avalanches, which have been known to be picked up on seismic and infrasound instruments in the past.
The main reason this area is so prone to avalanches is because of the unique combination of glacier environments, as well as the hot volcanic rock that rests under the Earth here. The mountain itself contains 10 different glaciers, so it’s ripe for avalanche activity. Still, the rumbling here is reason enough for scientists to keep an eye on the volcano. We’ve already seen some signs of another long-dormant volcano waking up in Alaska.
If the volcano were to erupt, though, it would be catastrophic, which is why scientists continue to keep such a close eye on Mount Iliamna. Luckily, the readings seen this time around still look to be on par with previous avalanche-related readings in the past. So, it doesn’t look like we have to worry about the Iliamna Volcano erupting again just yet. Hopefully, that remains to be the case as scientists continue observing the volcano.
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