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| Activity in 1986 | |
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Throughout the period between 1980 and 1986, there were various "Dome
Building Events". There were releases at times, but they were small,
and primarily were opportunities for magma to well up out of the interior. As spring closed on the mountain in 1986, increased activity was soon followed by heightened steam and ash releases... some of them were quite powerful. |
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Through the spring, large bursts would toss ash and steam some 20,000 feet
into the air.
The heat from the eruptions melted the ice in the crater floor, causing mud flows out of the crater. and an increased amount of silt in the Toutle. Throughout the year, the dome continued to grow at a heightened rate. |
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By day, the new growth was dark, and crumbly; the result of thick heavy
magma, typical for the volcanoes of the region. At night, however, a reddish glow could be seen. About the time the dome reached 977 feet, things calmed down, and the dome, which was growing at about 100 feet a year, ominously stopped growing. A seal had formed, and pressure was again building. |
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