Data that has been collected in the past Mount St. Helens eruption has been proven pivotal in gathering important findings in the attempt to understand the inner workings of the volcano from 35 years ago. The massive volcano eruption killed at least 57 people in Washington state.

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Scientists have collected readings from more than 70 scientific monitoring devices that are placed strategically around the mountain in the highest altitude which has been off limits during the winter.

According to geologist Alan Levander from Rice University, this new data is not similar to initial data that was just limited to two dimensional images that took seven years for scientists to fully decipher them.

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens which is located between Seattle and Portland, erupted with a powerful explosion of hot ash and rocks that spread out debris over the region and killed 57 people, that destroyed infrastructures worth more then US $1 billion.

This new study explores how to develop early warning systems by triggering small dynamite blasts that would create seismic waves within the volcano's interior for scientists to obtain and develop images similar to an ultrasound image of molten lava and rock.

The team aims to gather information to devise an early warning system about how lava flows below the surface which is especially important for volcanoes near human settlements like cities and communities like Mount Rainier near Seattle.

According to seismologist Kenneth Creager from the University of Washington, past predictions were already made with the aid of seismic activity and gas emissions that indicate the timing of eruptions but this is still not enough to predict how massive the eruption will be. 

He adds that by mapping the flow and volume of magma from the planet's crust and through Mount St. Helens, scientists can help predict and prepare for larger eruptions. 

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