Mount Adams

Current Context : Mount Adams, the largest active volcano in Washington State, has recently shown an increase in seismic activity after being dormant for thousands of years

ABOUT MOUNT ADAMS:

Location & Size:

• Mount Adams is a stratovolcano located in Washington State, USA.
• It stands 12,277 feet (3,742 meters)tall, making it the largest volcano by volume in the state.

Recent Seismic Activity:

• After thousands of years of dormancy, Mount Adams has shown increased seismic activity.
• The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network(PNSN) is monitoring this activity.

Volcanic Field:

• Mount Adams is part of a 1,250 sq.km volcanic field containing over 120 smaller volcanoes, including spatter and scoria cones.

Last Eruption:

• The most recent eruption occurred 3,800 to 7,600 years ago.

WHAT IS A STRATOVOLCANO?

• Stratovolcanoes, also called composite volcanoes, are tall and steep with a cone shape.
• Structure: They are made up of many layers of ash and lava.
• Magma Characteristics: The magma inside is thick and often has trapped gas, which can lead to explosive eruptions.
• Location: Stratovolcanoes are found at the edges of tectonic plates, which are large sections of the Earth’s crust that move.
• Plate Interaction: Continental plates, which are lighter, can override denser oceanic plates. When the oceanic plate sinks, magma rises through cracks to the surface, causing eruptions.
• Global Presence: Stratovolcanoes make up about 60% of all volcanoes on Earth.
• Ring of Fire: About 85% of them are located around the Pacific Ocean, an area known as the “Ring of Fire.”