# Mount St. Helens - Thar She Blows!!! (Well, maybe ... not) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2014, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722 "2014-07-22T05:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/1 "2014-07-22T05:47:51Z")
It’s been in the works for a while now. This week the active phase begins. With some 3,500 seismic sensors installed around Mount St. Helens, the plan is to detonate twenty-four 500-1000 kg shots of HE in 12-inch bore holes, each about 80 feet deep. The detonations will occur Tuesday evening, July 22, 2014. If all goes well, the seismic waves generated should “paint” a 3D picture of the magma chamber under the volcano. If it doesn’t go well, saronara, folks! 🙂 [http://imush.org/](http://imush.org/) [http://www.researchgate.net/publication/258782421\_iMUSH\_The\_design\_of\_the\_Mount\_St.\_Helens\_high-resolution\_active\_source\_seismic\_experiment](http://www.researchgate.net/publication/258782421_iMUSH_The_design_of_the_Mount_St._Helens_high-resolution_active_source_seismic_experiment) [http://phys.org/pdf324827743.pdf](http://phys.org/pdf324827743.pdf) (PDF warning) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/2 "2014-07-22T05:49:46Z")
What have we told you about taunting the volcano? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/3 "2014-07-22T06:29:32Z")
Yeah, really [bad idea.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_S7LOcgxa4) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/4 "2014-07-22T06:34:21Z")
Hope they have a large platoon of virgins ready to toss in, just in case things start going really badly. Pele, or whoever is the volcano god in the Pacific Northwest jurisdiction, may need some major placating after this. ETA: BTW, quite by happenstance, I had the opportunity to fly almost directly over Mt. St. H. shortly after the 1980 blow-out. I was traveling to Seattle for a week-long conference on killer whales, and the plane flew right past it – from my side of the plane, we could see out the window right into the crater. The pilot announced it, and dipped that wing for our better viewing pleasure. The crater was still smoking. All the trees for about a mile all around were all laying on the ground like piles of Pick-Up Stix. And everything was covered in gray ash all around. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/5 "2014-07-22T12:43:14Z")
It’s only Washington State. Nobody will miss it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/6 "2014-07-22T12:56:52Z")
Kinda gives new meaning to _“Mount”_ St. Helens. Sounds pretty cool to me. I’ll read the articles and maybe come back with some questions but initially what I’m most interested in is the geometry of the charges and receivers and not just how deep but also how widespread of a data field they’re trying to aquire. 300 to 600 lb charges… can you image the Moho with that? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/7 "2014-07-22T13:00:14Z")
Never mind the high explosives, dump 500/1000 kilos of mentos down those boreholes and lets see what happens! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/8 "2014-07-22T13:42:45Z")
This seismic mapping of magma chambers seems to have some promise in eventually helping to predict eruptions, but on the other hand, it seems to be generating some nervousness, without, as yet, the ability to make definitive predictions. In the past couple of weeks data from similar studies at [Mount Fuji](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/mount-fuji-critical-state-ready-erupt_n_5596656.html) and [Mount Rainier](http://news.yahoo.com/experts-map-deep-magma-reservoir-below-washingtons-mt-205516527.html) apparently have indicated that both volcanoes are perhaps much closer to tipping over into an eruptive state than their appearance would suggest. Both have long been considered extremely dangerous due to the relatively large populations surrounding them, and due to a potential for explosive eruptions that could be consderably larger than the 1980 Mount St. Helens blast. It’s not yet clear how this data will be used practically to mitigate the risk. Also, not directly related, but I’ve been keeping an eye on [Long Valley](http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/long_valley/long_valley_monitoring_1.html), in California, in recent months. Since late last year, seismic activity there has been on a decided upswing, much of it concentrated in a couple of small areas; one about four miles west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, the other directly under the town itself. With that said, the USGS has not issued any alerts and the activity does not (yet) fall outside of historical norms. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/9 "2014-07-22T14:01:22Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Kinda gives new meaning to _“Mount”_ St. Helens. ♫ _She’ll come like Mt. Saint Helens when she comes!_ ♫ ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/10 "2014-07-22T14:39:16Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Never mind the high explosives, dump 500/1000 kilos of mentos down those boreholes and lets see what happens! The volcano will suddenly become an expert at creative problem-solving? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/11 "2014-07-22T14:52:15Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Yeah, really [bad idea.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_S7LOcgxa4) Huh. I thought this would be a link to this virtually forgotten movie: [https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;\_ylt=A2KLqIANes5TeXAA5.77w8QF;\_ylu=X3oDMTByYXI3cnIwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDNA--?p=Crack+in+the+World&vid=9afe6cacc0a2f3bddeb95fab2d38133d&l=3%3A31&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608004714632906130%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlHtZ6Ixeqvs&tit=\Crack+in+the+World+\<%2Fb\>Trailer&c=3&sigr=11am7oqf8&sigt=111iqtl4t&age=0&&tt=b](https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIANes5TeXAA5.77w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByYXI3cnIwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDNA--?p=Crack+in+the+World&vid=9afe6cacc0a2f3bddeb95fab2d38133d&l=3%3A31&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608004714632906130%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlHtZ6Ixeqvs&tit=%3Cb%3ECrack+in+the+World+%3C%2Fb%3ETrailer&c=3&sigr=11am7oqf8&sigt=111iqtl4t&age=0&&tt=b) > **[Crack in the World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crack_in_the_World)** > > Crack in the World is a 1965 American science-fiction doomsday disaster movie filmed in Spain. It is about scientists who launch a nuclear missile into the Earth's crust, to release the geothermal energy of the magma below; but accidentally unleash a cataclysmic destruction that threatens to sever the earth in two. It was released by Paramount Pictures on February 24, 1965. > An international consortium of scientists, operating as Project Inner Space in Tanganyika, Africa, is trying to tap into... > **[Crack in the World (1965) ⭐ 5.9 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059065/)** > > 1h 36m | Approved ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/12 "2014-07-22T15:46:31Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ♫ _She’ll come like Mt. Saint Helens when she comes!_ ♫ Come as you are, as you were As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend As an old enemy Take your time, hurry up The choice is yours, don’t be late Take a rest as a friend As an old… Memoria… ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/13 "2014-07-22T16:36:36Z")
This puts me in mind of an old bubble - gum card I had as a kid. The caption read, “Think before you louse things up!” … The picture showed a fool with a brace and bit, boring a hole in a beehive! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/14 "2014-07-22T17:29:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Huh. I thought this would be a link to this virtually forgotten movie: > [https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;\_ylt=A2KLqIANes5TeXAA5.77w8QF;\_ylu=X3oDMTByYXI3cnIwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDNA--?p=Crack+in+the+World&vid=9afe6cacc0a2f3bddeb95fab2d38133d&l=3%3A31&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608004714632906130%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlHtZ6Ixeqvs&tit=\Crack+in+the+World+\<%2Fb\>Trailer&c=3&sigr=11am7oqf8&sigt=111iqtl4t&age=0&&tt=b](https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIANes5TeXAA5.77w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByYXI3cnIwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDNA--?p=Crack+in+the+World&vid=9afe6cacc0a2f3bddeb95fab2d38133d&l=3%3A31&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608004714632906130%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlHtZ6Ixeqvs&tit=%3Cb%3ECrack+in+the+World+%3C%2Fb%3ETrailer&c=3&sigr=11am7oqf8&sigt=111iqtl4t&age=0&&tt=b) > > [Crack in the World - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crack_in_the_World) > > [Crack in the World (1965) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059065/) That was one of my favourite movies when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/15 "2014-07-22T17:41:14Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > It’s been in the works for a while now. This week the active phase begins. With some 3,500 seismic sensors installed around Mount St. Helens, the plan is to detonate twenty-four 500-1000 kg shots of HE in 12-inch bore holes, each about 80 feet deep. The detonations will occur Tuesday evening, July 22, 2014. And all the nutcases will claim that the “controlled implosion” was a cover up of a natural eruption. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/16 "2014-07-22T18:10:18Z")
Holy Xenu! ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/17 "2014-07-22T18:58:28Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Never mind the high explosives, dump 500/1000 kilos of mentos down those boreholes and lets see what happens! Wait, it’s a cola volcano now? Have they figured out what flavor? ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/18 "2014-07-22T19:13:00Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > It’s only Washington State. Nobody will miss it anyway. If we’re wiped off the map, Pat Robertson will be announcing God smote us for legalizing marijuana. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/19 "2014-07-22T19:15:11Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Wait, it’s a cola volcano now? Have they figured out what flavor? Diet Magma Dew. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722/20 "2014-07-22T19:28:24Z")
Diet? Aww man, that stuff sucks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mount-st-helens-thar-she-blows-well-maybe-not/693722.md?page=2)