Direct Observation of a Young Igneous System: A Science Plan for Reserach Drilling in Katmai National Park, Alaska (non-technical version)

Simon, S; Papike, J; Eichelberger, J

Volcanism is a process by which our planet continues to evolve. By taking samples and making measurements inside a simple, young volcano soon after its eruption, we can greatly improve our knowledge of how magma behaves as it approaches the Earth's surface, and what changes it causes in the surrounding rocks of the Earth's crust. As part of the Continental Scientific Drilling Program (CSDP), we propose a program of core drilling and closely related research to investigate active volcanic processes at the site of the historically important 1912 eruption at Katmai, Alaska. Primary objectives of the project are to: 1) Test models for explosive eruptions through three-dimensional investigation of a well-preserved volcanic vent and the ash-flow sheet it produced. 2) Determine how metals contained in the magma were transported and concentrated by gases following the eruption, by obtaining geochemical profiles through the deposits, which are not yet degraded by weathering or alteration. 3) Find out how fast and by what processes the igneous rock is cooling through measurement and interpretation of temperature profiles within a simple system of known very young age. Katmai is uniquely suited to achievement of these objectives because the 1912 activity was a single, well-described volcanic event in a simple, uniform geologic setting. Moreover, structures of the volcano have not been modified by the large-scale collapse that normally accompanies eruptions of this size. The proposed observations will provide the first view of early post-eruption conditions inside a major igneous system. The motivation for this project is a basic scientific curiosity about how the planet works. Some of the results may find application elsewhere (only basic scientific research can be conducted in a National Park) in evaluating the hazards of explosive volcanoes, in finding and using ore deposits, in finding and using geothermal energy, and in predicting how sites of burial of radioactive waste would cool. This document is intended to present the scientific rationale and general plan for the proposed project to the non-technical audience. Specialized terms that could not be eliminated are starred at their first usage in the text and defined in a glossary at the end of this document. Those who wish a more technical presentation or information on budgets and scientific credentials of the project participants should consult the formal Science Plan, as submitted to the U.S. Government on July 26, 1988.