#USGS Volcano Alert Level
Volcano Watch — Petrologists gather to discuss challenges and goals in understanding Kīlauea chemistry
In May of this year, a group of volcano geochemists and petrologists (scientists who study the chemistry, textures, and origins of volcanic rocks) met in Hilo to discuss how to improve our understanding of magma storage and evolution at Kīlauea.
Volcano Watch: Learning from the impacts of Kīlauea’s 2018 LERZ lava flows
Damage classification included all types of structures, including homes, water tanks and other farming or industrial buildings. Inundating 14 square miles (35.5 square km) of land, Kīlauea’s 2018 lava flows destroyed 1,839 and damaged 90 structures in total. These are the highest recorded numbers of impacted structures from a lava flow event in Hawaiʻi and one of the highest globally.
Volcano Watch: Ahuʻailāʻau gets a geophysical “X-ray” using ground penetrating radar
Scientists from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and collaborators from the University of South Florida had the unique opportunity to get a peek at the layers inside Ahuʻailāʻau (the cone that formed around fissure 8) with ground penetrating radar (GPR) over the summer.
Volcano Watch: HVO’s new physical volcanology lab instruments are ready for action
HVO’s new physical volcanology laboratory will be able to quickly process eruption samples, providing insights during an eruption crisis. Ultimately, this can lead to better constraints on eruption models and allow scientists to provide better hazard assessments.
Volcano Watch: Lessons for the future from Mauna Loa’s 1916 eruption
The year 1916 not only marked the birth of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, but also is remembered for the eruption of the Honamalino flow from the Southwest Rift Zone (SWRZ) of Mauna Loa 106 years ago.
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea’s dynamic landscape: Reflections on the past four years
May 3rd marked the 4th anniversary of the start of Kīlauea’s historic 2018 eruption that covered much of lower Puna with lava flows and dropped the crater floor of the summit.
Volcano Watch: It is Earth Day, My Earthlings
Earth Day was first established on April 22, 1970, to raise awareness of some of the harmful effects industrialization was having on the environment. It has since become the largest secular observance on the planet.
Volcano Watch: HVO’s ongoing recovery from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption
Communities on the Island of Hawai‘i continue to recover from Kīlauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse as does the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). During the events of 2018, HVO instruments were lost, monitoring infrastructure was impacted, and HVO staff had to evacuate the observatory, which was damaged beyond repair.
Volcano Watch: How High Is That Lava Fountain?
Lava fountains are spectacular to observe at Kīlauea and provide insight into eruption dynamics. If you are lucky enough to see fountaining, you too can measure lava fountains! Or you can simply estimate the height knowing that the spatter cone is about 20–25 m (65–80 ft) high. Either way, enjoy the view.
Volcano Watch: The Canary Islands “Mega-Tsunami” Hypothesis, and Why it Doesn’t Carry Water
On the Island of Hawai‘i, lava delta collapse at lava-ocean entries can cause small tsunami that impact areas adjacent to the delta. Slip on the fault underlying Kīlauea’s south flank, associated with M7–8 earthquakes, caused local tsunami in 1868 and 1975 that took lives. These are processes that have happened repeatedly in human history; they will happen again, and their associated hazards deserve our attention.
Volcano Watch – Seismic Halfalogues: Earthquakes Are Only Part of the Conversation
Volcano seismology is more than just transcribing earthquakes in tallies or almanacs. Seismic sleuths need to pay attention to the entire soundtrack—this includes the magma-related seismicity that often goes unnoticed but is critical in determining momentum and mood, and ultimately deciphering the eruption story as it unfolds.
