Mount Rainier

Background Seismicity at Mt. Rainier:
In an average month, 1-5 well-located, high-frequency earthquakes are recorded near the summit of Mt. Rainier. In addition, small swarms of 5-10 earthquakes over a 2-3-day time period sometimes occur. All of these earthquakes are shallow, with most locating near sea level (~4 km below the summit), and are interpreted by Moran (1997) to be occurring in response to stresses associated with the circulation of hot fluids beneath Mount Rainier. These fluids are thought to be the source for the hot springs and steam vents found at the summit and at various points within Mount Rainier National Park (e.g. Frank, 1995).

CURRENT MOUNT RAINIER SEISMICITY:
Updated whenever new events are located near Mt. Rainier!

Latest Earthquakes at Mount Rainier
Time vs. Depth plot of Mount Rainier earthquakes for the last year.
Time-Depth, Map, and Cross-Sectionsfor Rainier earthquakes this decade.
Map of PNSN seismograph stations on and near Mount Rainier

Debris Flows and Lahars on Mt. Rainier

Seismic Records of Aug 14, 2001 (PDT) Mount Rainier debris flow
Glacier-generated debris flows at Mount Rainier Fact Sheet from the USGS CVO
Info on glacial outburst floods from the USGS CVO.
Pictures of previous glacial outburst effects at Mt. Rainier From the USGS CVO
Mount Rainier, Washington - Debris Flows, Mudflows, and Lahars From the USGS CVO
Flow monitoring to detect Mt. Rainier Lahars From the USGS CVO
Geology lesson on glacial outburst floods - From the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

1981-1996 MOUNT RAINIER SEISMICITY:

Time vs. Depth plot for 1996 eqs.
Time vs. Depth plot for 1989-1996 eqs.
Focal Mechanisms for 1989-1996 eqs.
Cross-sections of St. Helens and Rainier seismicity, 1981-1996.
Mount Rainier: Decade Volcano Info about regional seismicity and tectonics near Mount Rainier.

OTHER MOUNT RAINIER-RELATED LINKS:

Seismic Detection of Rockfalls at Mount Rainier and elsewhere.
Cascade Volcano Observatory Mount Rainier Page
USGS Mount Rainier Volcano Hazards Fact Sheet.
Mount Rainier National Park Homepage
08/20/97 UW Press Release about earthquakes near Rainier.
Custom search the PNSN earthquake catalog (we suggest 46.78-46.93 & 121.65-121.85 as Rainier Lat/Lon coordinates).
Cascade Volcano Locations and 4,000 year Eruption Summary

Mount Rainier References (Seismicity Related):

Moran, S. C., Zimbelman, D. R., Malone, S. D., A model for the magmatic-hydrothermal system at Mount Rainier, Washington from seismic and geochemical observations, Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 61, p 425-436, 2000.

Moran, S. C., Lees, J. M., and Malone, S. D., P-wave crustal velocity structure in the greater Mount Rainier area from local earthquake tomography, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 104 N. B5, pgs 10,775-10786, 1999.

Frank, D., Surficial extent and conceptual model of hydrothermal system at Mount Rainier, Washington, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 65, p. 51-80, 1995.

Malone, S. D., A. Qamar, and C. Jonientz-Trisler, Recent seismicity at Mount Rainier, Washington (abstract), Seismological Society of America with Progams, v. 62, p. 25, 1991.

Moran, S. C., Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure in the Greater Mount Rainier Area, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, 170 pp., 1997.

National Research Council, Mount Rainier: Active Cascade volcano, National Academy Press, 114 pp., 1994.

Norris, R. D., Seismicity of rockfalls and avalanches at three Cascade Range volcanoes: Implications for seismic detection of hazardous mass movements, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, v. 84, p. 1925-1939, 1994.

Swanson, D. A., S. D. Malone, and B. A. Samora, Mount Rainier: A Decade Volcano, EOS Trans. AGU, v. 73, pp. 177, 185-186, 1992.

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