Alaska Volcano May Disrupt U.S.-Asia Flights

International Business Times from 8/15/2011: Alaska Volcano May Disrupt U.S.-Asia Flights
Several thermal anomalies were observed in satellite views of Alaska's Cleveland volcano over the past 24 hours, but the Alaska Volcano Observatory said Sunday it had received no additional information or observations about activity.

Cleveland currently has an Orange Alert Status which means "explosive eruption is possible within a few days and may occur with little or no warning. Ash plume(s) are not expected to reach 25,000 feet above sea level." AVO predicts "increased numbers of local earthquakes" and "extrusion of a lava dome or lava flows (non-explosive eruption)."

Without a real-time seismic network on the volcano, AVO says it cannot track local volcano-related earthquake activity, provide forecasts of eruptive activity, or confirm explosive or ash-producing events. The observatory is monitoring the volcano using satellite data as it becomes available.

Scientists monitoring the volcano are expecting a more explosive event and have predicted a potential threat on the U.S. - Asia flight corridor used by major airlines, according to The Weather Space.

Mount Cleveland is a stratovolcano that comprises the entire western half of Chuginadak Island, 40 km west of Umnak. Although it is the tallest member of the Four Mountains group, Cleveland is reported to lose snow more rapidly than its neighboring peaks presumably from anomalous heat generation. Hot springs were noted at the base of a volcano on Chuginadak in the 1800s.

Like many other Aleutian volcanoes, the lower flanks of Mount Cleveland, up to about 300 meters elevation, are more irregular and dissected than the upper flanks. The cones on the eastern half of Chuginadak Island are dissected by broad valleys presumably eroded in part by glaciers; in contrast, the upper cone of Mount Cleveland is virtually undissected.