What do volcanoes smell like?
We asked CVO scientists what volcanoes smell like; here is what they said.
We asked CVO scientists what volcanoes smell like; here is what they said.
It smells like:
• Dry, dusty rock (like on Mount St. Helens’ Pumice Plain in the height of summer);• Warm, moist rock (near vents where steam is escaping);• Like whatever is nearby (pine needles, blooming plants, stinky wetland plants, animals with wet fur);• It certainly doesn’t have typical neighborhood smells, like car exhaust, restaurants, BBQs, etc., since volcanoes are generally in remote locations (rarified air?);• Rotten eggs or an acrid smell, like a struck match (just downwind of a fumarole).
Recently, smells were reported in southwest Washington, mainly in Clark and Cowlitz Counties. These areas are relatively close to Mount St. Helens and the question was posed if the smell could be volcanic in nature.
The answer is no.
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