Volcano Chimney Believed Blown Away From Cone
(P.A.) RAETIHI. Feb. 11. Yesterday afternoon a party of six scientists, including Major W. S. Barney, a meteorological officer of U.S.A.A.F., and Dr. E. G. Bowen, of Australia, accompanied by a guide from the Chateau by a guide the base of Mount Ngauruhoe. Dr. Bowen climbed to a height of between 3500 ft. and 4000 ft.
Last night they described the noise from within the mountain as a rumbling effect resembling the movement of a giant piston. It was punctuated at irregular intervals by loud explosions.
In the afternoon the party found round the base of the mountain on Tama Lake side rocks thrown out on Wednesday which were still at white heat.
Major Barney said it seemed that part of the top of the mountain had been blown off. He said he was not a geologist, but he thought any geologist would agree with his view that the present activity was blowing away an artificial cone built up in a previous period. The ultimate result would be that probably about 500 ft. of the cone would have disappeared.
Last night, he said, rocks and molten lava were being blown to a height of between 4800 ft. and COOOft. above the top of the cone. Whereas on Wednesday the debris was being ejected in one direction it was coming out in a shower all round the cone last night and there were slight indications of' a steady lava flow. The general indications were that the chimney had been blown away and the cone was assuming a ventricular form. Major Barney added that the cloud formation on the major explosions was similar to those caused by an atom bomb explosion and seemed to indicate a deep-seated and terrific energy. Although/so close to the volcano, no residents of the surrounding districts or even the Chateau are taking any alarm from its present activity, which for the first time has roused people of the district to watch the mountain. They normally treat its continual eruption as part of the scenery.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22868, 11 February 1949, Page 6
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344Volcano Chimney Believed Blown Away From Cone Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22868, 11 February 1949, Page 6
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