Seismic Survey Looks at Earthquake and Volcano Activity

Oregon is one of several states participating in the project that they hope will lead to increased safety in natural disasters.

Photo courtesy: Oregon Civil Air Patrol

(SALEM) - Oregon's Civil Air Patrol is working with the United States Geological Survey in a 6 state seismic survey event this coming weekend, August 25th-27th.

They are operating out of Willamette Aviation at the Aurora State Airport with 5 aircraft and up towards 50 people. They're also working with Civil Air Patrol wings out of California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada.

Part of the work they will conduct includes photo and reconnaissance flights in both Washington and Oregon.

The actual exercise began August 16th with over 22 aircraft in Oregon operating out of bases in Salem, Aurora, Bend, Redmond and Medford.

The seismic survey event, involving volcanic as well as earthquake activity, will involve over 75 aircraft and corresponding air crews, ground support personnel and communications specialists, will be part of a national program to better understand and respond to local seismic danger spots and practice emergency response to a major seismic event in the Pacific Northwest.

The photo above was sent to Salem-news.com after it was snapped by an Oregon Civil Air Patrol aircrew in one of their Cessna 182 search aircraft working for the USGS.

It is a recent photo taken of the Mount Hood Volcanic Crater that shows a small steam pume to the right of the center spire of the cinder cone. This is considered a normal condition for Mount Hood.

"While this exercise is SIMULATED, actual targets are based on real historical events and research that have identified points of specific interest" said CAP spokesman, Lt.Col. Thomas Traver, public affairs officer for the Oregon Wing of the CAP.

He says they are taking photos of targets identified by the USGS and will be actually used by their research team to further understand and and gain knowledge in local geology as it relates to potential future seismic events.