Mt. Fuji about to blow its top?

[marmar]

Scientists say last year's Great East Japan Earthquake has greatly increased the pressure of the magma chamber underneath Mount Fuji. The pressure is now higher than it was the last time the volcano erupted more than 300 years ago, scientists say, according to a report Thursday.

Mount Fuji, in Shizuoka Prefecture, last erupted in 1707, less than two months after a large earthquake.

That blast scattered ash and cinders as far as Tokyo, 60 miles from the volcano.

Last year's earthquake and Fukushima nuclear crisis were unparalleled disasters, but people in and around Shizuoka Prefecture fear the ultimate catastrophe — the eruption of Mount Fuji — may be looming. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/06-10

[xchrom]

1. Yeeesh. Scary. Nt

[phantom power]

2. oh boy, would that suck

[WillyT]

3. Man... Japan Could Sure Use A Break About Now...

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Japan is sort of the Louisiana of the Asian Rim.

[DeSwiss]

5. K&R

Pressure In Mount Fuji Is Now Higher Than Last Eruption, Warn Experts

WIRED.CO.UK
By Liat Clark
06 September 12



The pressure in Mount Fuji's magma chamber is now higher than it was in 1707, the last time the nearly 4,000-metre-high Japanese volcano erupted, causing volcanologists to speculate that a disaster is imminent. The new readings, taken by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, reveal that the pressure is at 1.6 megapascals, nearly 16 times the 0.1 megapascals it takes to trigger an eruption. This, lead volcanologist on the case Eisuke Fujita told Kyodo News, is "not a small figure".

Researchers have speculated for some time that the volcano, located on Honshu Island 100km southwest of Tokyo, is overdue an eruption. In 2000 and 2001 a series of low-frequency earthquakes were recorded beneath the volcano, leading to widespread predictions of an imminent blow. Since the March 2011 tsunami and the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that followed four days later, Japan has been on tenterhooks.

And in May 2012 a professor from Ryukyu University warned that a massive eruption within three years would be likely because of several major factors: steam and gases are being emitted from the crater, water eruptions are occurring nearby, massive holes emitting hot natural gases are appearing in the vicinity and finally, the warning sign that pushed the professor to make the announcement, a 34km-long fault was found underneath the volcano.

More

[TeamPooka]

6. damn Mayans nt

[loli phabay]

7. just wondering how they know the pressure is higher than 300 years ago

the science of volcanoes is very interesting.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. Here is the original (?) Japanese language article

Last edited Fri Sep 7, 2012, 05:32 AM - Edit history (1)

Actually, it's hard to tell whether the English article or the Japanese article came first. Anyway, it's from a blog that was posted yesterday. http://blog.chemblog.oops.jp/?eid=993610

I checked the web site of the research institute where the researcher who was mentioned in the article in post #5 works, and while he specializes in volcanic research, there is nothing about this article.

And according to this related article, "the increase in magma pressure alone is not enough to cause an eruption, and at the present time no signs of an eruption have been observed" ( 圧力の高まりだけが噴火の要因ではなく、現在のところ、噴火の兆候は観測されていない ). However, it said that the current pressure is high, and that the recent research team has stated that "it is necessary to issue a warning that there is a possibility of an eruption after a few years have elapsed since the (Great East Japan) earthquake" 今回の力は強く、チームは「地震から数年たってから噴火する可能性もあり警戒が必要」としている。

http://www.47news.jp/47topics/e/234260.php