Media Advisory: Open House at USGS Cascades Volcano

VANCOUVER, Wash. — May 18th marks the 35th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens and the onset of volcanic activity from 1980 to 1986.  In commemoration, the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory will open its doors to the news media and the public on Saturday, May 2, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Visitors and reporters can talk to volcanologists about their research, learn about the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and more recent eruptions, and watch videos of the changes that have occurred inside the crater over the past 35 years.  Scientists will demonstrate monitoring equipment and techniques such as thermal imaging, earthquake detection, and how to track ground deformation by satellite.  Visitors can see what a remote volcano monitoring station looks like and watch a scientific “spider” do its job.  A robotic arm will be operating in the sediment laboratory and scientists will be on hand to talk about how they collect and process sediments, and how rivers respond to dam removal. Learn more about landslides and volcanic hazards including whether or not you live in a hazard zone. There will be hands-on science activities and you can have your picture taken in front of a green screen that places you in the crater of an exploding volcano.  Continuing a USGS CVO open house tradition, visitors are invited to bring their mystery rock to be identified by a geologist.

What:

Open House at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
 

When:

Saturday May 2, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
 

Where:  

1300 SE Cardinal Ct., Building 10, Suite 100, Vancouver, WA 98683
(located on the east side of Vancouver, WA, in the Columbia Tech Park)7 p.m.—Public lecture open to all
 

Note:

Members of the news media are invited. For additional information or to set up interviews with scientists prior to the event, please contact the media specialists above.

Click here to download the open house announcement.