Under a grant from the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Dr. Philip Kyle maintains the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory, Antarctica. Currently, surveillance equipment at Erebus consists of six vertical geophones which are telemetered 37 km from the volcano to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Data are recorded using a P.C.-based digital recording system and forwarded daily to Department of Geoscience, New Mexico Tech. The seismic stations are solar powered and typical operate from October to April. Sufficient battery power is installed at 2 stations to allow them year-round observations especially during the continuously dark Antarctic winter. Yearly maintenance and inspection is made during the Austral summer months November and December. A technician at McMurdo Station, supported by Antarctic Support Associates, a civilian contractor for the Office of Polar Programs, provides year-round oversight on the recording equipment. Once a year surveillance visits of the summit are made during November and December. Gas-emissions are monitored using a COSPEC V for SO2, and treated filter packs for HCl, HF and other minor gas species. These observations are conducted from an observatory situated near the 300 m level of this 3794 m high volcano. Photo of Erebus by Rick Moscati, USGS.
Contact information:
Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory c/o Department of Geoscience New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, New Mexico 87801 USA Telephone: (1) 505-835-5995 Telefax: (1) 505-835-6436 E-mail: kyle@nmt.edu Contact: Dr. Philip R. Kyle
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