By Beth Bartel - Summer 2016
What’s wrong with this picture? Well, PBO GPS station AV03 was built to last. Its stainless steel legs were drilled into bedrock and its robust power system was designed to last through the harsh winter. Unfortunately, not even stainless steel and weatherproof seals could protect the antenna from a volcanic eruption. AV03 recorded inflation of the Augustine Volcano in southwest Alaska until it was taken out by a pyroclastic flow in January 2006. The damaged antenna, partially melted and filled with volcanic ash, now lives in the UNAVCO lobby. AV03 was replaced by station AV18 in September 2006, which continues its work as part of a six-station team monitoring the volcano.
Learn more about AV03 on UNAVCO’s AV03 station page or University of Colorado's educational GPS Spotlight Website.
Picture: AVO3
