Montserrat Volcano Observatory is pleased to announce "Montserrat Science Week,” which will take place 16-22 January 2012. Montserrat Science Week will be full of activities showcasing Montserrat’s natural realm with particular focus on Soufriere Hills Volcano, reefs, the endangered Mountain Chicken, the Montserrat Oriole, and sea turtles.

Activities include:

1. Special interviews, airing at 8:30 am on ZJB Radio Montserrat, M-F 16-20 January
2. MVO Open Day- Special demonstrations, open to the general public from 3-5 pm on Thursday 19 January
3. Evening Presentations for the general public
a. “Sea Turtles- Past, Present, and Future”- M 16 January 6:30 pm at Salem School
b. “Montserrat Mountain Chickens: A Virtual Tour of the Bush at Night”- T 17 January 6:30 pm at Brades Arts and Education Centre
c. “An Evening Under the Sea: Montserrat’s Natural and Artificial Reef”- F 20 January 6:30 pm at Salem School
4. Children’s Scavenger Hunt (winners receive a helicopter ride!!!) Click here for more details.
5. Children’s Fun Day, Saturday 21 January 1-4 pm at the Cultural Centre Yard
6. Special exhibit at Montserrat Public Library, all week
7. Guided Forest Hike- Flora and Fauna of Montserrat Saturday 21 January 7 am, Hilltop trailhead
8. Geology Boat trip- Spaces are limited, call 491-7807 or 496-7807 for more details and reservations. This event is weather-dependent and may be cancelled in case of inclement weather.
9. Volunteer Days for the Montserrat Reef Project Tuesday through Saturday, 17-21 January, noon to 4 at the Little Bay Port. Contact Montserrat Reef Project beforehand: either email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 496-7333

All events except the Geology Boat trip are free.

To see the full events calendar, click here.

Partners:

• Montserrat Reef Project
• Mountain Chicken Project
• James “Scriber” Daley
• John Jeffers
• Montserrat Public Library
• National Trust

Drs. Henry Odbert and Adam Stinton are currently working on an ongoing research project to study the cooling of pyroclastic deposits in order to estimate how long they take to cool to ambient temperatures. They have found that the top surface of pyroclastic deposits cools within weeks, but that the inside can remain hot for a long period of time. This is important because hot pyroclastic deposits can be hazardous, with the potential to seriously burn or even cause small explosions when it comes into contact with water.

Temperatures at the top of pyroclastic deposits can be measured with a thermometer or remotely using a thermal infrared camera. Temperatures on the inside of deposits are not so easy to measure. In order to do so, a deep hole must be dug in order to access deep into the deposit - a process that can involve considerable work. Pictured below is a team of MVO scientists, staff, and volunteers recently digging such a trench at Trants in pyroclastic deposits from the 11 February 2010 dome collapse. Measurements from this excursion show that the deposits are still hot with a temperature of 125 C at a depth of 3 m (the deposit is approximately 12 m thick in this area). Temperature measurements have been made a number of times since the deposits were emplaced. Analyzing these measurements using a thermal conduction computer model suggests that it will take many years for the core of the deposit to reach ambient temperatures.

Dr. Vitchko Tsanev and Mr. Brian Jones from Cambridge University are visiting MVO this week to test, calibrate, and continue installation of the new Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) network. DOAS is used to measure the amount of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) coming out of the volcano.

DOAS is used for determining the amount of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) in a volcanic gas plume by measuring the intensity of ultraviolet light which has travelled through it. SO₂ absorbs light between 300 and 318 nanometres. The light that travels through SO₂ will be less in those wavelengths due to the absorption. The greater the absorption, the more SO₂ is present in the plume.

DOAS is the primary technique used by MVO to measure daily SO₂ flux rates, which are reported regularly in the Weekly Activity Reports. There are currently two active DOAS stations located at Broderick’s and Lover’s Lane, as indicated on the map. They are both located to the west of the volcano due to the prevailing east to west wind direction. Measurements are best taken when the sky is sunny and cloud-free, so that direct, rather than scattered, light is used. Additional spectrometers can be used as mobile units, able to be deployed to any accessible location suitable for taking measurements. This can be particularly useful if the permanent stations are covered in ash or if the plume is going in an unusual direction.

On 4 November 2011, NDPRAC decreased the Hazard Level from 3 to 2. This follows from an assessment which indicates that the threat of hazards (mainly pyroclastic flows and surges) in Zone C has reduced. It should be noted that the risk of death or injury from a pyroclastic flow increases markedly in the exclusion zone Zone V (which includes Plymouth and its suburbs) and that Zone V remains off-limits. The boundary between Zone C and V is marked by a pronounced gorge or ghaut at the end of Lovers' Lane, which becomes shallower westwards toward Sturge Park and there are signs indicating its location in several places. Crossing this boundary and entering the exclusion zone Zone V - without formal permission and associated safety measures - would expose an individual to considerably higher risk.

MVO and the NDPRAC are constantly responsive to the changing state of the volcano. There is currently NO evidence that the eruption has ended and it is quite possible that volcanic activity could increase markedly at any time. Any person entering Zone C should remain alert and be prepared to respond immediately should activity escalate. Any such escalation will be reported promptly on ZJB Radio Montserrat and sirens will be sounded.

This year at Alliouagana Festival of the Word, MVO presented the "Island of Fire" book and awarded this year's poetry competition winners.

"Island of Fire," the captioned photo book edited by MVO staffmembers, was showcased during the Writers' Corner. Dr. Paul Cole showed photographs from the book to the audience, explaining how the book presents unique views of the volcano and never-before-documented phenomena. Later in the afternoon, MVO awarded the cash prizes and certificates to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place of this year's "Volcano in my Backyard" poetry competition. After awards were given, the winners recited their poems. Students receiving Honourable Mentions were also recognized at the ceremony and a book containing this year's entries was presented to librarian Sonia Smith for public display at Montserrat Public Library. There were 140 entries in this year's competition, and the judging panel was impressed at the high quality of the students' work. To view winning entries, honourable mentions, and more, click here.

In November 2011 NDPRAC approved adjustments to the Hazard Zone boundaries. The changes were related to the Zone C/V boundary. The current Hazard Level System places St. George's into Zone V, rather than Zone C where it was previously. Google Earth .kmz files for the updated boundary and all Hazard Zones are now available. This should enable people to be able to quickly visualise the locations of the different boundaries and locations of properties etc. within those boundaries. This is an update from the August 2011 Google Earth .kmz file for hazard zone boundaries. Please note that this data is provided for information only and the accuracy of the boundaries is limited by the accuracy of Google Earth typically assumed to be accurate to around 10 m. 

click here to download

As of 4 November 2011 the Hazard Level is now at 2. NDPRAC agreed on a reduction of the Hazard Level based on advice from MVO that spontaneous pyroclastic flows occurring from the remaining lava dome had reduced considerably in number over the last year or so. In effect this means that the hazard from pyroclastic flows has reduced. The change in the Hazard Level now means that people can have ‘Daytime Access’ 8:00 am to 4:00 pm to Zone C – which includes Cork Hill, Weekes, Richmond Hill, Delvins and Foxes Bay.

Alongside a change in the current Hazard Level, small changes in the Hazard Level System and boundaries have been made. Owing to the proximity to the volcano and the fact that pyroclastic flows nearly reached the top in December 2008, St. Georges Hill is now part of Zone V, rather than Zone C. In addition the maritime Zone ‘W’ remains as ‘Daytime Transit’, which means that boats are permitted to travel through the Maritime Exclusion Zone without stopping from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Please see a full description of the Hazard Level System here. Also, please review our updated informational materials in the Downloads section. It includes:

1. Hazard Level System Poster (.pdf)
2. Map Zones of Hazard Level System (.pdf)
3. Google Earth Hazard Zones layer (.kmz)

   The current pause is now the longest since the eruption began in 1995. The reduction in Hazard level to 2 does not however mean that the eruption is over and all indications are that owing to continued ground deformation and steady gas output future activity is possible.