VolcanoCam Images Archive

In the above false color digitally enhanced image, we digitally removed quite a bit of the dust in the air between the volcano and the camera, as well as the dust on the camera window.

Fine volcanic ash is a regular occurrence here. In early winter before the snows cover the surrounding area, winds swirl the dust over, under, and into everything, including the VolcanoCam. While we endeavour to visit the VolcanoCam during the winter to perform some equipment checks and do a bit of cleaning, winter weather often prevents this from taking place. We only managed two visits to the VolcanoCam during the 2005-2006 winter, one in December and the second one a month later. Hence, the considerable amount of fine volcanic ash partially obscuring the view.

The above digitally enhanced image outlines the top of the new dome. This dome began with the October 2004 eruption sequence, which is still in progress. The new dome is above and behind the old dome and the south crater wall.

According to the USGS: "The new dome’s summit altitude currently is about 7,550 feet, towering about 400 feet above the 1980s dome as seen from the U.S. Forest Service’s Coldwater visitor center. But that’s still below the 7,770-foot altitude reached last July, before collapse of a previous spine, and well below the crater rim, which is mostly above 8,100 feet except at Shoestring Notch or northward where the crater opens outward toward the roadheads. [March 2, 2006, Daily Update]"

You may notice the near vertical fuzzy line just above the volcano rim in the upper right-hand quadrant of the image. We've had guesses ranging from an ash plume, a smudge on the camera lens, and a tornado, to that errant Mutant Fly with an extra leg. During our visit to the VolcanoCam in January 2006, we discovered a fine scratch in the glass window of the VolcanoCam case. The scratch is not on the camera lens.

What caused it? That fine volcanic ash can be as sharp as a surgical knife. When blown about by the winds, it is relatively easy for a larger sharp piece to scratch the glass.

Winter weather this past winter was especially fierce, complete with long periods of clouds obscuring any views of the volcano so the scratch was not always visible. Now that the weather is much clearer, it is also much easier to see the scratch. We plan to replace the glass.