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Report on St. Helens (United States) — September 1985


St. Helens

Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 10, no. 9 (September 1985)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

St. Helens (United States) Activity at background levels

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1985. Report on St. Helens (United States) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 10:9. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198509-321050



St. Helens

United States

46.2°N, 122.18°W; summit elev. 2549 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Through early October, maximum displacement rates were 1-2 mm/day on the S side of the dome, the region where deformation has been concentrated for the past 6 months. The period includes several weeks preceding the May/June lobe extrusion on the S side of the dome (SEAN 10:05). Three measurements during September showed an average rate of 30 ± 15 t/d of SO2 emission. There were no tephra or energetic gas emissions during the month.

Geological Summary. Prior to 1980, Mount St. Helens was a conical volcano sometimes known as the Fujisan of America. During the 1980 eruption the upper 400 m of the summit was removed by slope failure, leaving a 2 x 3.5 km breached crater now partially filled by a lava dome. There have been nine major eruptive periods beginning about 40-50,000 years ago, and it has been the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene. Prior to 2,200 years ago, tephra, lava domes, and pyroclastic flows were erupted, forming the older edifice, but few lava flows extended beyond the base of the volcano. The modern edifice consists of basaltic as well as andesitic and dacitic products from summit and flank vents. Eruptions in the 19th century originated from the Goat Rocks area on the N flank, and were witnessed by early settlers.

Information Contacts: D. Swanson; S. Brantley, USGS CVO, Vancouver, WA; S. Malone, University of Washington.