January 2019 marks the 10th annual “Volcano Awareness Month” on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Launched in 2010 and held every year since, “Volcano Awareness Month” is one way that the
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
VOLCANOWatch: Ninety Days with No Lava, a Milestone for Kīlauea’s 2018 Eruption
One of the most frequently asked questions of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists over the last several months has been, “Is the eruption over?” It’s no surprise that Hawaiʻi Island
VOLCANOWatch: An exciting time at Kīlauea
This is, without a doubt, the most intellectually exciting time to be a volcanologist at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The current inactivity at Kīlauea has so many possible outcomes
VOLCANOWatch: We’re Giving Thanks for Clean Air, but What’s That New Smell?
In this season of giving thanks, Island of Hawai‘i residents and visitors can be thankful for the return of good air quality, generally free of volcanic air pollution. Since the
VOLCANOWatch: HVO Adapts to Recent Changes
November 2018. Has it already been six months since lava began flowing through Hawai`i County’s lower Puna district? Has it only been three months since activity at fissure 8 ended
VOLCANOWatch: How are Lava-Flow Maps Made During an Eruption?
During Kīlauea Volcano’s recent lower East Rift Zone eruption, lava-flow maps were a staple of the public outreach effort by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This was not the first
VOLCANOWatch: Kīlauea 2018 Events Mark a Watershed for Volcano Science
The 2018 summit collapse and lower East Rift Zone eruption at Kīlauea Volcano were dramatic and, for many Island of Hawaiʻi residents, tragic events. As with all eruptive crises, these events
VOLCANOWatch: Kīlauea Hazard Assessments Include Analyses of Salts on Volcanic Ash
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)-rich emissions have long been a feature of Kīlauea Volcano’s summit activity. However, vigorous volcanic ash production during the 2018 eruption raised new concerns about potential impacts for
VOLCANOWatch: Aftershocks of the 2018 6.9M Earthquake Expected to Continue
On May 4, 2018, a powerful magnitude-6.9 earthquake on the south flank of Kīlauea Volcano shook the Island of Hawaiʻi. It was the largest quake in Hawaii in 43 years.
VOLCANOWatch: Volcano Collapses Mark the Beginning and End of USGS Scientist’s Career
My 37-year stint with the U.S. Geological Survey—16 years at the Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) and 21 at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory—ends this month. I feel privileged to have spent a long career observing volcanoes,