The slowly deepening pond of water on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu, the first in recorded history, has captured the interest of media and the public, both locally and nationally. Many
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
VOLCANOWatch: HVO Now Tracking Ponds of Water, Not Lava, at Kīlauea’s Summit
The recent appearance of water at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u, a crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, has attracted wide attention and generated many questions. To understand the significance
VOLCANOWatch: Water or No Water: That Is (Or Was) the Question
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists usually base their research on observations, either visual or instrumental. Interpretations come from these observations, so they must be as good as possible. Incorrect observations
VOLCANOWatch: Mauna Loa Volcano’s 1935 Lava Flow Seen in Current Media Coverage of Mauna Kea
In ongoing media coverage of demonstrations at the base of Mauna Kea, many hundreds of people can be seen standing on a black lava flow that surrounds the Puʻuhuluhulu Native
VOLCANOWatch: Heat and Gases Linger on Kīlauea Volcano’s Lower East Rift Zone
One year ago, activity on Kīlauea Volcano was remarkably different than it is today. Lava was flowing toward the sea, robust ocean entry plumes were fumigating coastal areas, and island
VOLCANOWatch: Mauna Loa’s 1975 Eruption in Terms of Today’s Volcano Alert Level
Shortly before midnight on July 5, 1975, Mauna Loa Volcano awakened with a shudder. Quickly responding to a seismic earthquake/tremor alarm at 11:18 p.m., USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff
VOLCANOWatch: USGS Volcano Notification Service Informs Island Residents about Hawaiian Volcanoes
Hawai`i residents are likely familiar with the Volcano Activity Updates that the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issues for Kīlauea and other active Hawaiian volcanoes. These updates, which provide situational awareness of
VOLCANOWatch: Getting in the (Rift) Zone – Why and How They Erupt
Kīlauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawai‘i, has two rift zones. The East Rift Zone is longer, with 50 km (about 31 miles) on land plus another 80 km (about
VOLCANOWatch: Reading the Rainbow – How to Interpret an Interferogram
Since the early 1990s, scientists have used radar satellites to map movement, or deformation, of Earth’s surface. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) calculates the difference between two radar images acquired
VOLCANOWatch: Seeing the Earth Shake on Your Screen
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, along with its partners at NOAA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and the National Strong-Motion Project, operates a network of seismic monitoring stations on the Island