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Weekly Highlights for 03-12-2009

I. Departmental/Bureau News

A. Upcoming Events

USGS Glacier Research Featured in NOVA Documentary
USGS Alaska Science Center glaciologist Shad O'Neel is featured in a documentary that will air March 24 on NOVA. The program titled "Extreme Ice" is a 1-hour documentary where a National Geographic photographer teams up with glaciologists in Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska to document the strong changes to glaciers and the ice sheets. Art and science are combined in new ways to learn about Earth's glaciers with tools like photographs, seismometers and GPS. More information can be found at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/extremeice/.
Contact: Shad O'Neel Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7088

B. Current

Redoubt Color Code Lowered from Orange to Yellow
On March 10th, the Aviation Color Code was lowered to YELLOW and the Alert Level to ADVISORY for Mount Redoubt volcano. The new magma beneath the volcano does not show any signs of upward movement at this time. However, the volcano remains restless with abnormally high gas emission rates and melting of the summit glacier still evident. It is still quite possible, though far from certain, that the current volcanic unrest could result in an eruption. Also, this unrest could persist for many months to a year or more and not lead to an eruption. As a result of the color code change, AVO is transitioning from staffing the operations room 24/7 but will continue to monitor the volcano closely. AVO is a partnership among the USGS, the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, and The University of Alaska Geophysical Institute.
Contact: Thomas Murray Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7042

USGS Biologist Receives National Leadership Award
USGS Alaska Science Center biologist Dr. Colleen M. Handel has been selected by Partners in Flight to receive a national Leadership Award. Dr. Handel helped establish and has continued to provide leadership in Boreal Partners in Flight, a coalition of scientists, managers, educators, conservationists, and concerned citizens from Alaska and western Canada who have been working together during the past decade to conserve the region's landbird populations. The award will be presented at the 74th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference during a joint reception for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 19th in Arlington, VA.
Contact: Colleen Handel Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7181

New USGS Report on Sea Otters
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists George Esslinger and Jim Bodkin are authors of a new Scientific Investigations Report, “Status and trends of sea otter populations in Southeast Alaska, 1969-2003.” Aerial surveys of all known sea otter habitat in Southeast Alaska during 2002-2003 indicated a population size of 8,949 otters. Extirpated from Southeast Alaska by commercial fur harvests, this population has been undergoing a recovery following translocations in the late 1960s. The authors compare their findings on sea otter distribution and abundance with earlier surveys. Previously confined to outer coastal areas of Southeast Alaska, sea otters have expanded their range to inside waters, but large areas of unoccupied habitat remain. Sea otter abundance inside Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve increased significantly from 1995-2002, however, elsewhere in Southeast Alaska substantially lower population growth rates were evident. The authors conclude that harvest levels in this region, as well as other factors, may have had a measurable effect on sea otter populations between 1989 and 2003. This report can be found online at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5045/
Contact: George Esslinger Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7044

II. Press Inquiries/Media

USGS scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory continued to answer inquiries, March 4-11,about the current period of unrest of Redoubt Volcano. Media outlets included CBS affiliate KTVA-TV (Ch.11, Anchorage, AK), KBBI Public Radio (AM 890, Homer, AK), KFQD Radio (AM 750 Anchorage, AK), Anchorage Daily News, the Peninsula Clarion, and Knoxville Television, a production company from the Discovery Channel.
Contact: Thomas Murray Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7042

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