Mysterious ground bulge near Sisters, Oregon expanding

[Ivan Seeking]

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A recent survey of a bulge that covers about 100 square miles near the South Sister indicates the area is still growing, suggesting it could be another volcano in the making or a major shift of molten rock under the center of the Cascade Range.

Recent eruptions at nearby Mount St. Helens in Washington state have rekindled interest in the annual Sisters survey and its findings.

Oregon has four of the 18 most active volcanoes in the nation -- Mount Hood, Crater Lake, Newberry and South Sister. A recent U.S. Geological Survey report said monitoring is inadequate at all of them, with only basic monitoring at about half of the active volcanoes. [continued]

http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/ap_050906_sisters_bulge.html

 

[LURCH]

I was just discussing that with my friend who lives in that area. I think it's an attempt to improve tsunami prevention. Make the whole area higher ground!

 

[Janus]

I was just discussing that with my friend who lives in that area. I think it's an attempt to improve tsunami prevention. Make the whole area higher ground!

Considering that Bend is already at an elevation of 3,623', is about 150 miles from the coast, and has the Cascade mountain range between it and the Pacific, wouldn't that be overkill?

 

[hypatia]

I had thought perhaps Ivan has put on a few pounds with all the good BBQ in the summer.
If it is a magma pool, will it erupt? or will it just ooze out? Thats a very large area.

 

[LURCH]

The latest theory is that it will produce a small eruption that will add a new "Sister" to the mountains already standing there (assuming it doesn't just subside). My friend Brian in Eugene is kind-of hoping this proves true, as he would be close enough to possibly see the glow at night and cloud in the day; maybe even take occasional trips closer into watch the show, but the area is remote enough that such a small eruption would not be likely to produce casualties.