Weekly Highlights for 05-14-2009
I. Departmental/Bureau News
A. Upcoming Events
No Upcoming Events highlights for this week
B. Current
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists from Biology, Geology and the Alaska Volcano Observatory, along with scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Alaska are initiating multidisciplinary studies this summer of Kasatochi Volcano in the Aleutian Islands. Kasatochi erupted on August 7-8, 2008, and scientists believe the flora and fauna of the island were completely destroyed. Research this summer will begin to document geomorphologic changes since the eruption, document the short-term impacts of the eruption and establish transects, plots and baselines to document the long-term ecological response of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. A workshop was held May 12-13, 2009 at Alaska Science Center to plan the interdisciplinary work. Charles Crisafulli from the Pacific Northwest Research Station and Lawrence Walker from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas participated in the workshop as invited experts.
Contact:
Anthony (Tony) DeGange
Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7046
The 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano continues. Sudden collapse or explosive destruction of the new, growing lava dome in the summit crater of Redoubt could occur at any time. USGS Alaska Science Center staff at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) and visiting staff from USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory, University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys continue to staff the AVO operations room 24/7 tracking activity at the volcano, fielding media, public, and government inquiries. Staff are also conducting a variety of scientific studies in conjunction with monitoring and reporting duties to investigate processes of lava dome growth, degassing, volcano deformation, seismicity, ash fall, lahar generation, and many other topics. This week, AVO staff responded to media requests from KNEW and KKGN San Francisco, the Anchorage Daily News, KTVA Channel 11 (Anchorage), KSRM Kenai, and the Homer Tribune. AVO continues to post daily updates of Redoubts condition on the AVO website (http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php ). 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:
C. (Tina) Neal
Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7458
USGS Alaska Science Center investigators Benjamin Jones and Christopher Arp are the recipients of the Best Scientific Paper in Geography by a New USGS Scientist Award. Their paper titled “Modern Erosion Rates and Loss of Coastal Features and Sites, Beaufort Sea Coastline, Alaska” was published in the Journal of the Arctic (Vol. 61, No. 4, 2008) and contributes substantially to our knowledge of the dramatic erosion rates and associated loss of historical and other sites along the Beaufort Sea coast of Alaska.
Contact:
Carl Markon
Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7023
USGS Alaska Science Center hydrologist Tim Brabets and National Research Program hydrologist Michelle Ann Walvoord are coauthors of an article in the current issue of the Journal of Hydrology entitled "Trends in streamflow in the Yukon River Basin from 1944 to 2005 and the influence of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation" (posted online at http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/water/pdfs/yukontrends.pdf). Seasonal, monthly, and annual stream discharge data from 21 streams in the Yukon River Basin were analyzed for trends over the entire period of record, generally spanning 4-6 decades and examined for differences between the two most recent modes of the PDO. Many of the identified changes in streamflow patterns in the Yukon River Basin showed a correlation to the PDO regime shift. This work highlights the importance of considering proximate climate forcings as well as global climate change when assessing hydrologic changes in the Arctic.
Contact:
Timothy Brabets
Anchorage, AK, (907) 786-7105
II. Press Inquiries/Media
No Press Inquiries highlights for this week
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