SW-1

Name: VOLCANOMONITORINGWITHGPS

Today’sDate:

PARTI:DeterminingGPSMovementsWestdahlVolcanoonUnimakIsland,AlaskahassixGPSstationsfromthePlateBoundaryObservatory(PBO)toaidinmonitoringforvolanicactivity.Groundmovementsofjustmillimeterscangiveindicationofchangingmagmaandpressureswithinthevolcano.YouwillanalyzedatafromGPSstationstodeterminehowthevolcanoischanginganddecidewhetherthisissuggeststhataneruptioncouldbehappeningsoonandawarningshouldbegiven.Yourinstructorwillgiveyoupicturesandgraphsofdataforthestationorstationsyoushouldanalyze,alongwithamaptoputyourresultson.

Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) stations in Alaska. Red star shows Unimak Island.

PBO stations around Westdahl Volcano on the south end of Unimak Island, Alaska. Photo shows station AV24.

SW-2

PARTII:InterpretingtheresultsAnswerthefollowingquestions.1. Describetheoverallmovementsobserved

2. WhatvolcanicprocesscouldbeleadingtothesemovementsonWestdahlvolcano?

3. Ifyouwereinchargeofissuingwarningswouldyoutellpeopleaneruptionwaslikelytohappensoon?Whyorwhynot?

4. Whatothertypesofvolcanicmonitoringwouldyourecommendandwhy?

GradingcriteriaOnepointeachforthequestionsthathavedefiniterightorwronganswersandforcorrectlydrawnvectors.Toreceivefullcredit,studentsmustshowtheirwork,whereappropriate.Foropen-endedquestions,studentsareassessedbasedonasimple4-pointscale.4points=correctanswerwiththoroughsupportingevidenceand/orcompletedescription1-3point=answernotcompletelycorrectorlackingthoroughsupportingevidenceordescription0points=incorrectanswer