A project is underway to study aspects of lahars (mudflows) in the Belham Valley. The project will involve the installation of a video camera overlooking the Belham Valley. The project is part of the PhD studies of Melanie Froude, from the University of East Anglia. The videos will be sent by radio signal to MVO allowing lahars to be observed close-up in the observatory as they happen in the Belham Valley. They will later be available for public viewing on MVO’s website.

The videos will be used for measuring the velocities of the lahars’ top surfaces using a process called particle image velocimetry. This method involves selecting boulders in the flow and tracking their distance over time. Ms. Froude will analyze lahars’ occurrences and velocities alongside rainfall, seismic and topographical data to study how ongoing changes in the Belham Valley may change lahar behaviour.

Pictured above is a lahar in the Belham Valley from 10 August 2011.

Activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano remains at a low level.

The seismic network recorded three rockfalls and two volcano-tectonic earthquakes.

The average sulphur dioxide measurement over seven days this week was 367 tonnes per day with a maximum of 620 and a minimum of 197 tonnes per day.

Pyroclastic flows can still occur at any time without any warning. Lahars (mudflows) remain a hazard.  Tracks across the Belham valley are frequently destroyed or heavily modified by lahars, therefore caution should be exercised crossing the valley during and after rainfall.

The Hazard Level is 2. There is daytime access (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) to Zone C. Maritime zone W remains daytime transit only (boats may sail through the zone but must not stop).

Activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano remains at a low level.

Four rockfalls and five volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded by the seismic network this week.

The average sulphur dioxide measurement over seven days this week was 287 tonnes per day with a maximum of 491 and a minimum of 182 tonnes per day.

On 28 January a small pyroclastic flow occurred on the western, Gages side of the dome. This had a run out of around 300 m, had no precursors and shows that the western side of the dome can still shed pyroclastic flows.

Lahars (mudflows) remain a hazard.  Tracks across the Belham valley are frequently destroyed or heavily modified by lahars, therefore caution should be exercised crossing the valley during and after rainfall. In addition pyroclastic flows can still occur at any time without any warning.

The Hazard Level is 2. There is daytime access (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) to Zone C. Maritime zone W remains daytime transit only (boats may sail through the zone but must not stop).

Activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano remains at a low level.

Three volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded by the seismic network this week.

The average sulphur dioxide measurement over seven days this week was 343 tonnes per day with a maximum of 531 and a minimum of 247 tonnes per day.

Clear weather allowed good views of the lava dome on several days this week and no changes were identified. Spots of incandescence on the lava dome, similar to those observed in recent months, were seen at night this week.

A small lahar occurred on the western side of the volcano in the early hours of 27 January.

Pyroclastic flows can still occur at any time without any warning. Lahars (mudflows) also remain a hazard.Tracks across the Belham valley are frequently destroyed or heavily modified by lahars, therefore caution should be exercised crossing the valley during and after rainfall.

The Hazard Level is 2. There is daytime access (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) to Zone C. Maritime zone W remains daytime transit only (boats may sail through the zone but must not stop).

As part of the first-ever Montserrat Science Week, MVO held an Open Day on Thursday 19 January. MVO Open Day showcased MVO’s monitoring work with activities including:

• Tour of the Operations Room with interactive seismic activities
• Hands-on demonstrations of deformation monitoring, gas monitoring, and safety equipment
• Volcanic rocks and artefacts

Students from Brades, Lookout and St. Augustine’s Primary Schools, Lighthouse Community Academy, and Montserrat Secondary School came to MVO throughout the day to get hands on experience from the special demonstrations. Members of the general public came later in the afternoon for the event. Students were very enthusiastic and they particularly enjoyed the tour of the operations room, where they jumped up and down to simulate an earthquake and afterwards viewed their seismic signals.

Also as part of Montserrat Science Week, MVO staff hosted Children’s Fun Day. The event was well-attended and a great time was had by all. MVO concluded its involvement in Montserrat Science Week with the guided Geology Boat Trip from Little Bay to Plymouth, led by MVO Director Dr. Paul Cole.

Other Montserrat Science Week events included public presentations about Montserrat’s sea turtles, the Mountain Chicken Project, and the Montserrat Reef Project as well as a guided forest hike led by James “Scriber” Daley.

Montserrat Science Week events were a great success thanks to:

• Mountain Chicken Project
• Montserrat Reef Project
• James “Scriber” Daley
• John Jeffers
• Montserrat Public Library
• Montserrat National Trust
• SCUBA Montserrat
• ZJB Radio Montserrat
• LIME
• Disaster Management Coordination Agency
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Youth Affairs, Community Services and Sports
• Montserrat Cultural Centre

Activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano is at a low level.

One rockfall and eleven volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded by the seismic network this week. Nine of these VTs occurred in 11 minutes on 17 January.

The average sulphur dioxide measurement over seven days this week was 263 tons per day with a maximum of 334 and a minimum of 164 tons per day.

No significant changes in the lava dome were observed this week.

Pyroclastic flows can still occur at any time without any warning. Lahars (mudflows) also remain a hazard.  Tracks across the Belham valley are frequently destroyed or heavily modified by lahars, therefore caution should be exercised crossing the valley during and after rainfall.

The Hazard Level is 2. There is daytime access (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) to Zone C. Maritime zone W remains daytime transit only (boats may sail through the zone but must not stop).

 Activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano is at a low level.

 One rockfall and two volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded by the seismic network this week.

The average sulphur dioxide measurement over seven days this week was 340 tons per day with a maximum of 493 and a minimum of 194 tons per day.

Partial glimpses of the lava dome this week showed no significant changes.

Pyroclastic flows can still occur at any time without any warning. Lahars (mudflows) also remain a hazard.  Tracks across the Belham valley are frequently destroyed or heavily modified by lahars, therefore caution should be exercised crossing the valley during and after rainfall.

The Hazard Level is 2. There is daytime access (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) to Zone C. Maritime zone W remains daytime transit only (boats may sail through the zone but must not stop).

MVO is currently hosting a workshop for instruction on post-processing of Global Positioning System (GPS) data. MVO uses GPS data to assess the inflation or deflation of the volcano by recording small changes in the position of GPS receivers across the island. Because ground movements are so small, it is important to have very precise and accurate data. By post-processing the data using this software, rather than calculating coordinates on-the-spot as hand-held GPS receivers do, MVO is much better able to constrain the locations of it GPS receivers.

Aimed towards both new users and those that wish to improve their skills, participants hail from different locations in the Caribbean and France. This workshop was organized by Dr. Henry Odbert of MVO and its lecturer is Prof. Tom Herring of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a key developer of the software.

Pictured from left to right:

Ijaz Remsahai, Tappy Syers, Henry Odbert, Jean-Marie Saurel, Anesh Gopee, Rob Watts, Tom Herring, Stephanie Grizzle, Pat Joesph, Machel Higgins, Natalie Cotte, Jean Bernard Dechabal, Sebastien Deroussi, Richie Robertson