Slashdot Mirror


Mount St. Helens Eruption Baffles Scientists

jurt1235 writes "Mount St. Helens, which started erupting 15 months ago, is still erupting. The weird part is, by now every 3 seconds 10 cubic yards of lava is coming out of the volcano but scientists cannot determine from where it is coming anymore. From the article: 'The volume is greater than anything that could be standing in a narrow 3-mile pipe. That suggests resupply from greater depths, which normally would generate certain gases and deep earthquakes. Neither is being detected.'"

33 of 381 comments (clear)

  1. No-brainer by Daedalus-Ubergeek · · Score: 5, Funny
    scientists cannot determine from where it is coming anymore.


    Uhhh... the earth?
  2. First "Intelligent Erupting" Post by vain+gloria · · Score: 1, Funny

    Subject line says it all.

    1. Re:First "Intelligent Erupting" Post by earnest+murderer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yep, no need to keep looking for an explanation. Obviously the divine creator has confounded modern science once again.
      Woe be to those who persist, lest their own homes be erupted upon.

      --
      Platform advocacy is like choosing a favorite severely developmentally disabled child.
  3. Now this is just a guess but. . . by The+Spanish+Ninja · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd say it's probably coming from underground.

    --
    "I like you, but I wouldn't want to see you working with subatomic particles."
  4. Alternative no-brainer by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hell?

  5. Second greatest mystery by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Funny

    Uncle Cletus' eruptions. Every five minutes. Like clockwork. Cannot be explained entirely -- even after considering his diet of beer and refried beans. By my calculations, the emissions should result in his losing five pounds every year. Yet, at every Christmas party, he shows up heavier than last year.

    Perhaps these two scientific mysteries are related.

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  6. Well, duh! by schon · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's obviously the work of an evil mastermind, setting up his new lair.

    Since he needs the space, he's melting the rock in order to make space for his laboratory. The eruptions will stop once he's managed to carve his face into the side of the mountain.

    My money is either on Hank Scorpio or Dr. Evil.

  7. Secular humanist tools of the Beast! Simple: by Catbeller · · Score: 5, Funny

    The lava is coming from HAAAYYYYLLLL.

    We christen this theory "Infernal Leakage". Soon to be taught in every school south of Joliet, Illinois.

    Mess with us, and we'll sue! WE know who's behind all this Geologyist perversion of the Truth, and we'll be soon beating them nearly to death on the sides of the road, not to mention getting them canned from their posts for uttering blsphemy against Go- -er- Infernal Leakage theory.

  8. cubic yards ? by Herkules · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are people taught to use "cubic yards" in US schools? I thought all science in the US used the metric system ?

    --
    CIA Factbook 2002 (US):"Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households
    1. Re:cubic yards ? by IAAP · · Score: 5, Funny
      ...and the American public doesn't know what a meter is.

      I'm an American and I resent that statement! I know full well that meter is what they use to measure the amount of water I'm using! Geeze!

    2. Re:cubic yards ? by Jerf · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, we're taught to measure volume in terms of Nature's Simultaneous Harmonic 4-Day Time Cubes, which your singularity education has left you unable to comprehend, you educated stupid.

      You have not the mentality to comprehend the simple math of Cubic antipode creation, for at about age 6, your parents gave your 2 opposite antipode brains to Big Brother academic hirelings, to clone thought to serve evil singularity brotherhood - destroying Cubic families, villages and tribes.

      I think it's something like 1 Nature's Sumultaneous Harmonic 4-Day Time Cube per Cubic Antipodal Creation. I leave it to you to translate to your pathetic 1-day measurements.

    3. Re:cubic yards ? by TapeCutter · · Score: 3, Funny

      ...and a yard is what you water.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  9. Re:Be aware of the facts, always. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, wait, you're telling me that we *don't* know everything right now? You mean, like, there's some things we, like, don't understand?

    I'm shocked! Shocked and dismayed!

  10. Mount Doom ... by DrJimbo · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the FA:
    The volcano, about 100 miles south of Seattle, fell silent in 1986.
    Sounds like the dark lord Sauron is up to his evil tricks again. Probably firing up Mount Doom to forge some new rings that will bind people to Vista.

    --
    We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are.
    -- Anais Nin
    1. Re:Mount Doom ... by Feanturi · · Score: 5, Funny


      1,920 kilobytes for the Elven-Kings under the sky,
          4,480 for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone
      5,760 for Mortal Men doomed to die,
          640K for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
      In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie.
          640K to rule them all, 640k to find them,
          640K to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
      In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie.

  11. But... by brian0918 · · Score: 2, Funny

    But, the earth is hollow.

  12. Nah, it's the Koreans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    In Korea, only old people come by erupting hot fluids from narrow 3-mile pipes and get tired in 16 months.

  13. Re:Aha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    (ironically, as I type this it is snowing outside)

    It's winter, dear.

  14. Yes, but... by abb3w · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where in the hell is all that lava coming from?

    --
    //Information does not want to be free; it wants to breed.
  15. See folks... by mindaktiviti · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is what happens when you let Intelligent Design into our schools.

    1. Re:See folks... by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, because everyone knows that the hot gas and ash are really coming from The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Did you notice the increase in the level of pirate activity and global warming and how they relate? My pasta, man, what are they teaching in schools these days? That there is no Flying Spaghetti Monster? But look at the facts, look at the facts.

      --
      Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
    2. Re:See folks... by MacDork · · Score: 2, Funny

      This is what happens when sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads are misplaced and left to their own devices.

  16. Re:Aha! by c_forq · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's winter, dear.

    I'm in the Southern Hemisphere, you insensitive clod!

    --
    Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
  17. Point of no return by CarpetShark · · Score: 2, Funny
    There may be no earthquakes, but there sure are a lot of other problems going on in Washington state.
    Yep, it all started on Feb. 16, 1986 ;)
  18. Re:Volcano Cam by JPriest · · Score: 2, Funny

    It is back up now. It seems a dinosaur has emerged from the ash.

    --
    Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
  19. Based on 6Th Grade Science Class by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Funny

    I postulate that there is a VERY large supply of vinegar, baking soda and red food coloring somewhere nearby.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  20. Microsoft's ActiveVolcano by gelfling · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't worry it's not a bug, it's a feature.

  21. Re:PC competition for "I-Minor" MAC? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'm not smart or witty enough to sustain moderation.

  22. Re:Be aware of the facts, always. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Pretty much every drug you have ever taken is the result of public funding of scientific research.

    No.

    Weed - grows naturally.
    Alcohol - discovered by accidental fermentation 12K years ago.
    LSD - private industry
    Meth - private industry - originally an anti-obesity drug and to keep people awake
    Cocaine - coca plant - discovered by Incas.
    DXM - private industry - although it was invented because of public controls on opiates - I wouldn't cll that publically funded - instead a reaction to public mandates.
    MDMA - private industry - originally an anti-obesity drug.

  23. Re:Consider the source by Dun+Malg · · Score: 5, Funny
    Yeah... that holds true of just about every little thing reported when I've had personal experiences with the event. Not only do they get the general topic completely off base, but you'll find some places inventing little interesting details that just aren't there.

    USGS Geologist: ...so what we're seeing with the continued eruption without the typical earth movement and outgassing is a bit of a mystery. We're unsure where the pressure is coming from.

    AP Reporter: so what you're saying is that the pressure will either form diamonds, like Superman, or spray lava all over Washington state?

    USGS: Huh? No. No diamonds. And while inevitably the volcano probably WILL explode someday in the future, there's no sign of it coming any time soon.

    AP reporter: so what you're saying is that it could explode without warning and set off "The Big One", causing California to fall into the ocean?

    USGS: Not at all! The pressures involved presently are low because the lava flow is continuous.

    AP: so what you're saying is that soon the lava will flow continuously like a river of fiery death, all the way to the sea, destroying Portland along the way?

    USGS: Errr...no, I think it's safe to say there will be no river of lava. The worst thing we have to worry about is the silicates in the smoke plume damaging aircraft engines.

    AP: so what you're saying is that the massive column of smoke will send all the world's airliners plummeting to the ground, killing thousands?

    USGS: Wha? No, The airplanes will be fine! Look, this is just an interesting puzzle, really. We simply can't explain the lack of gasses in the outflow.

    AP: Well OK then, I got it now. Thanks!


    -AP wire, next day-

    SCIENTISTS BAFFLED BY GAS SHORTAGES, PREDICT CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION

    USGS: &#%@*!

    --
    If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
  24. It's obvious what happened. by GooddSkittles · · Score: 2, Funny

    It seems like a simple explanation to me. Someone decided to pull a practical joke, so they hijacked a semi trailer, and dumped its entire load of Exlax into the crater. People can be so immature sometimes...

  25. On top of Old Smokey... by AndroidCat · · Score: 4, Funny
    It's not lava, it's spaghetti sauce!

    The Noodly One has blessed us with a miracle! (And I forgot my spoon...)

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  26. FSM by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 2, Funny

    As a matter of faith and belief, of course I believe that His Noodly Appendage rests firmly behind these unexplained lava flows at Mt. Saint Helens.

    But as a scientist, I have to ask, "Has anyone seen Godzilla lately? He doesn't seem to be in Japan."

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.