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Volcano Watch

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. 

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Volcano Watch — Looking back at the Kamoamoa fissure eruption

Volcano Watch — Looking back at the Kamoamoa fissure eruption

March 5, 2013, marked the 2nd anniversary of the start of the Kamoamoa fissure eruption on Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone. This small, but...

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Volcano Watch — What would we expect during an eruption on Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone?

Volcano Watch — What would we expect during an eruption on Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone?

The Southwest Rift Zone (SWRZ) of Kīlauea is often overlooked as a source of eruptions, because the volcano's East Rift Zone is so much more active...

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Volcano Watch — How can melt inclusions help us understand Kīlauea's plumbing system?

Volcano Watch — How can melt inclusions help us understand Kīlauea's plumbing system?

Understanding how the chemical composition of magma changes before an eruption occurs is not an easy task. A sample of lava erupted at the surface...

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Volcano Watch — All sorts of gifts come in all sorts of packages

Volcano Watch — All sorts of gifts come in all sorts of packages

A tradition each year on Valentine's Day is the exchange of gifts.

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Volcano Watch — The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory thanks the unsung champions of maintenance

Volcano Watch — The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory thanks the unsung champions of maintenance

Most successful organizations are supported by a cadre of dedicated and skilled staff who work largely "behind the scenes" to maintain the field...

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Volcano Watch — Kīlauea Iki—the first Kīlauea eruption of the modern monitoring era

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea Iki—the first Kīlauea eruption of the modern monitoring era

Over the past three weeks, we've discussed some of the most scientifically important eruptions to have occurred in Hawai‘i since the 1912 founding of...

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Volcano Watch — Mauna Ulu—an opportunity to study a long-lived rift zone eruption

Volcano Watch — Mauna Ulu—an opportunity to study a long-lived rift zone eruption

This week, we continue our series of articles describing the most scientifically important volcanic eruptions in Hawai‘i in recent times. Today's...

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Volcano Watch — Mauna Loa's 1984 eruption taught us much about how lava flows work

Volcano Watch — Mauna Loa's 1984 eruption taught us much about how lava flows work

In recognition of Volcano Awareness Month (January 2013), this column explores some of the most scientifically important eruptions to have occurred in...

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Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's current eruption is a natural laboratory for volcanologists

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's current eruption is a natural laboratory for volcanologists

Welcome to the 4th annual Volcano Awareness month!

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Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's ongoing Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption turns 30

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's ongoing Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption turns 30

January 3, 2013, marks the 30th anniversary of Kīlauea's ongoing Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption. Simplifying the past three decades into a single short article...

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Volcano Watch — The Kīlauea Visit that was a Prelude to Revolution

Volcano Watch — The Kīlauea Visit that was a Prelude to Revolution

To the scientists who monitor the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, the scene in this photo seems familiar. A rising lava lake forms a symmetrical, perched lava pond...

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Volcano Watch — A holiday visit to exotic El Chichón volcano

Volcano Watch — A holiday visit to exotic El Chichón volcano

'Tis the season for holiday travel, & in this week's Volcano Watch, we will visit El Chichón Volcano, in Chiapas, Mexico. While there are some notable...

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