iMUSH is a four year collaborative research project involving several institutions and supported by the GeoPRISMS and EarthScope Programs of the US National Science Foundation to illuminate the architecture of the greater Mount St. Helens magmatic system from slab to surface.

To determine the architecture of magmatic systems in general, including the extent and characteristics of highly crystalline magma bodies, and to resolve major tectonic controls on volcanism along the Cascade arc, we will use a variety of geophysical imaging techniques (magnetotelluric, high-resolution active source seismic imaging and passive seismic monitoring and imaging) integrated with geochemical-petrological data to image and interpret the crust and upper mantle in the greater Mount St. Helens area.

NOTE:  These pages will evolve as the experiment gets underway.  If anyone find errors, omissions or wants additional material included please send e-mail to steve@ess.washington.edu.

Latest Blog Posts

IMUSH - The name and what it is not

Steve Malone
August 29, 2012
These pages are NOT something that either Apple came up with as a new computer gizmo nor a declaration of being a sled-dog racer but rather a short title designed to be catchy and memorable for what we hope will be a very exciting, rewarding and memorable, multidiscipline experiment to Image (or maybe Imagine) Magma Under St. Helens and the region around it. There are lots of technical details in these web pages, but for a very brief and simple explanation.....

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Blog is now live.

Jon Connolly
August 15, 2012
This space is now available for use by iMUSH scientists to explain and/or comment on various parts of this project as progress is made and to allow comments and questions from readers.

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Status Updates

Winter is a "down time" this year

December 17, 2012

Since there is no monitoring equipment in the field and weather precludes doing any type of field work, this is the time of year when we all concentrate on other activities unrelated to this project.  We will begin to make plans for the summer field work (station siting, permitting and preparation) in the spring.

Almost half seismic stations have been sited

October 8, 2012

Three different siting trips over the past two weeks have resulted in a total of 32 passive seismic stations now being sited.  This entailed a visit to each place we want to put a station, evaluating its noise characteristics, exposure to sun for power, ease of access and construction and security.  Photos and GPS coordinates were taken at each site.  Currently all but one of the proposed stations on US Forest Service land have been sited and our permit application to the Forest Service is being prepared.

8 more seismic sites found

September 19, 2012

Two UW scientists just spent two days driving the (VERY rough) back roads in the northeast section of the study area and came up with 8 specific sites for passive seismograph deployments.  A couple of these sites are less than ideal and may still be changed based on future siting trips.