Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-16
More Alaska Volcanoes
Maybe Coming to Life
At Leust Is Mountuins
Show Signs Of Activity

py tnomoS =. nenEy
Alaska's volcanoes may be coming to
life.
At least Is mountains, some Of them
hitherto considered dead" have been
showing unusual activity Of late, &C
cording to the report Of the u. S.
Geological Surveys volcano investiga-,
tons unit.
The picture is somewhat confused,
however. by the fact that with the
frequency Of observations from the air
over the Alaska area activity is re-
ported which In the past might have
gone unnoticed. Because Of the reports
both Geological Survey and National
Park Service scientists have been carry
ing out intensive studies within the
bounds Of the Katmai national monu-
ment and in the Aleutian range of
northeastern Alaska.
Most notable Of the resurrected vol
canos is Mount Trident in the Katmai
area which had been presumed to be
completely dead until steam was seen
pouring from its crater two years ago.
Last February 1t was sending clouds
Of steam and ashes to attitudes Of
$4,000 feet.
Volcanoes Visited.
A base camp was established near its
foot and all the volcanoes In the area
visited. During the summer Mount Tri-
dents activity had slowed down to q
quiet flow Of lava accompanied by
vigorous, steady output Of steam. Sew
eral new vents have appeared In the
sides and there is no evidence Of de.
crease Of activity, according to the re-
port Of Ernest H. Muller. Werner Julie
and Henry w. Coulter who conducted
the investigation.
Another new performer Is Mount
Martin, a 6.05O-foot peak IL miles
south Of Mount Trident Its activity Is
reported as approximately simultane-
Gus with that of Mount Trident, and
presumably due to the same underlying
causes.
During the summer there were mild
steam puffs from the crest of Knife
peak, from which no previous activity
ever has been reported. These were
observed by a pilot Of the Army En-
gineer Corps.
Kukak volcano has been Steaming
steadily and sent out very large puff,
according to the captain Of a Fish and
Wildlife Service ship. Considerable
steam was escaping from large caves
in Hook glacier, on the flank of this
volcano. This probably means that sew
eral new vents have been opened. Activ-
ity from the northeast end Of the
Alaska peninsula Is limited to quiet
steaming from several small vents
near q crater lake at the summit of
Mount Douglas.
Contains Latent Heat.
Great Mount Katmai itself now is in
active but it contains considerable Ia
tent heat. according to the report. It's
crater lake Is reported to remain I'M
frozen even in midwinter. Novarupta,
dome Of viScouS lava 5 miles SOUTH
west Of the Katmai crater, continues to-
steam very mildly. A system of assures
in the earth northeast of Novarupta
are now steaming but activity has al
most ceased in the Valley of Ten
Thousand Smokes.
Recent activity. the biologists stress,
hardly can be interpreted as the be-
ginning of new period of violent erup-
tions.
"No activity during recent seasons"
says the report, has been of the same
order Of magnitude as the explosive
eruption of Mount Katmai in 1912. That
eruption partly destroyed one Of the
highest peaks in this portion Of the
range. created a crater a mile and a
half in maximum dimensions and
elected IS to so times the material
involved in Mount Trident's recent
eruption. The greater frequency Of
mention Of volcanism in this area re-
fleets more general awareness but not
necessarily greater frequency or in
tensity."