Mudflows to eruptions, Wudan Yan writes in the Popular Mechanics about the threats of a volcanic eruption in the Pacific Northwest. The risk of volcanos to the Pacific Northwest has been studied at length, with the St. Helens eruption at the forefront of research. However, since the St. Helens eruption a new threat named lahar has been called into focus. In certain areas such as the Cascades, lahars pose a much greater threat to communities than magma as they are massive debris flows that can engulf vast swathes of terrain. While research has shown that these mudflows vary depending on the volcano and the surrounding areas, the concern for the potential damage has driven researchers to create further analysis to estimating their impact. Join Wudan Yan as they write about both the historical events and present day research surrounding these lahars.
Photo: Tom Casadevall, USGS via Wikimedia Commons
