Small magnitude earthquake swarm continues at Mount St. Helens

[flowers]

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/

Beginning March 14, 2016, a number of small magnitude earthquakes have occurred beneath Mount St. Helens, at a depth between 2 and 7 km (1.2 to 4 miles). Over the last 8 weeks, there have been over 130 earthquakes formally located by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and many more earthquakes too small to be located. The earthquakes have low magnitudes of 0.5 or less; the largest a magnitude 1.3. Earthquake rates have been steadily increasing since March, reaching nearly 40 located earthquakes per week. These earthquakes are too small to be felt at the surface.

The earthquakes are volcano-tectonic in nature, indicative of a slip on a small fault. Such events are commonly seen in active hydrothermal and magmatic systems. The magma chamber is likely imparting its own stresses on the crust around and above it, as the system slowly recharges. The stress drives fluids through cracks, producing the small quakes. The current pattern of seismicity is similar to swarms seen at Mount St. Helens in 2013 and 2014; recharge swarms in the 1990s had much higher earthquake rates and energy release.

No anomalous gases, increases in ground inflation or shall

[Smokin Joe]

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/

These earthquakes should be compared to the relatively low intensity earthquakes believed to be induced by injection (saltwater disposal) wells. The fundamentals should be similar if the faults in the caldera/magma chamber are being 'lubricated' by fluid under pressure.