Quaternary Research Center

Mount St. Helens north-facing amphitheater where a glacier has formed

The May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens resulted in a large, north-facing amphitheater where a glacier has formed. By September 2001, the glacier had grown to about 1 km² in area, with a maximum thickness of about 200 m, and contained an estimated volume of 120,000,000 m³. This southward-looking view shows crevasses visible in the west tongue of the glacier between the central dome and west crater wall, and rock glaciers near the margins of the glacier. Photographed by Bergman Photographic Services (under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey) on October 5, 2000. See related article by Schilling et al. in the May 2004 QR Journal.

The Quaternary Research Center fosters interdisciplinary research on the last two million years of the global environment, a time encompassing massive and abrupt changes of climate, sea level, global biota, and ice extent, as well the evolution of humans and the advent of civilization. We study processes that drive environmental changes in order to understand how the Earth sustains humanity, and to prepare for future environmental changes.

QRC Events and Announcements

QRC Special Seminar, Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Kathleen Counter Benison, Ph.D.
Department of Geology
Central Michigan University

"Acid Trips and Martian Channels: Evaluating the Role of Acid in the Formation of Some Landforms on Mars"

QRC Resource Center, Johnson 377, 10:30 am

QRC Special Seminar, Monday, June 18, 2007

Dr. Haim Tsoar
Ben Gurion University of the Negev

"Linear Sand Dunes on Earth and Mars: Similarity and Dissimilarity"

Johnson 175, 3:30 pm

Spring Workshop on Martian Glaciation

Friday, May 18

Experts on extra-terrestrial glaciation have been invited from around the country and across campus to speak in a morning session at Mary Gates Hall and an afternoon session in the QRC office.

View full seminar description.

QRC / ESS Seminars and Lectures

Review upcoming QRC / ESS Seminars and Lectures.