Reports from Science Mount St. Helens

The following reports describe extensive measurements of the properties of the gases and aerosols (particles) in the volcanic clouds produced by the eruptions of Mount St. Helens from March through August 1980. Volcanic material was first injected into the atmosphere on 27 March 1980. This material, as well as that introduced by subsequent eruptions during the next 2 months, was confined to the troposphere. On 18 May the first of several major explosions occurred in which some of the volcanic cloud penetrated well into the stratosphere. The nature of the volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens from the end of March through June was described.