Montserrat Volcano Observatory


Daily Report
Report for the period 16:00 on 15 Jan. 1996
to 16:00 on 16 Jan. 1996


Seismicity during this period was relatively low, with the total absence of repetitive hybrid events and only one period of low amplitude, broadband tremor recorded on the Gages seismic station between 20:30 on 15 January and 03:30 on 16 January. Three volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded by the network, although they have not yet been precisely located. A number of small long-period events were recorded in the later part of 15 January throughout the seismic network but these have lessened in their rate of occurrence during today. More than a dozen signals thought to correlate with rock falls and small explosions within the crater area were also recorded by most of the seismic network during this period. The largest of these signals, at 12:59 today, correlated with a light ash fall reported in the Plymouth area soon afterwards.

No EDM measurements were made today due to the low cloud cover on the volcano. However, clearance of vegetation close to the Galway's Plantation EDM site has enabled a triangle to be completed between there, O'Garra's and Chance's Peak. This means that future measurements to the Chance's Peak reflector will be better constrained.

Visual observations were made early today from the crater rim and from the helicopter, although conditions were not ideal. There were no major changes noted in the crater area since the last observations on 14 January, although the September spine continues to slowly disintegrate and rock falls from several areas of the new lava dome are still occurring.


Montserrat Volcano Observatory