"Generating a Database of Seismic Events and a Probability of Correlating Precipitation Using Acoustic Debris Flow Data Gathered at Mt. St. Helens"

Asani D. Brewton, Brandi Brehon, Brian Campbell,
Jacklyn James, and Karitsa Williams
Kirk Spicer, Supv. Hydrologic Technician, U. S. Geological Survey
Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, WA
Mentor: Dr. Lloyd Mitchell
http://nia.ecsu.edu/onr/04-05/researchteams/geo/home.html

This research project generates a database of seismic activity for Mt. St. Helens for the year of 2004 and to calculated a probaility that the activity correlated with precipitation. In 1994 the United States Geological Survey placed debris flow monitoring systems, called Acoustic Debris Flow Monitors, at several locations near the crater of Mt. St. Helens to further study the potential use of debris flow data. The data was collected by the Cascades Volcanic Observatory (CVO). Alos located on the moutain is a machine called a Tipping Bucket that calculated precipitation. Mt. St. Helens gained notoriety in the 1980s for its cataclysmic eruption on March 27 with the major collapse of the dome. Since the major eruption, the mountain had remained relatively quiet but there has ,in 2004, been an increase in activity and dome buliding. The project analyzed the data using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and determined what constituted the seismics events, as opposed to the background noise. A database was created cataloging each event, its duration, its peak activity and wheather or not there was a correlatinfg precipitation event.