Monitors proposed for Oregon volcano

By Associated Press Published: Apr 4, 2011 at 11:02 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 5, 2011 at 6:49 AM PDT
Monitors proposed for Oregon volcano
Newberry Volcano (courtesy USGS)

BEND, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey is proposing to install seismic and GPS monitoring stations around the Newberry Volcano in central Oregon this summer.

The Bulletin newspaper in Bend reports the $225,000 project would add eight monitoring stations to the one that's already on the volcano, to detect movements in and beneath the surface.

The seismic monitors measure earthquakes that happen when magma moves and starts breaking rocks below the surface — they can pick up tremors that would be undetectable to someone on the ground.

And the GPS will pick up changes in the shape of the surface that could be caused by the shifting magma.

Eruptions at Newberry volcano have oozed lava that reached as far away as Bend in the not-too-distant geologic past. >>> Newberry Volcano Photo Gallery

Information from: The Bulletin

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.