Volcano Watch

Lava flowing from Kīlauea's ongoing eruption finally made its way to the ocean once again a couple of weeks ago. And for the first time in nearly a...

In the next 10 days, HVO loses two of its most dynamic research scientists. Peter Cervelli transfers to the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage...

Hawaiians had several stories about how their islands were formed. One version has Papa and Wakea mating and giving birth to the islands. The Big...

Every day at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, we scan incoming data from field instruments that will warn of new volcanic activity on the island...

Colossal natural disasters have been fodder for Hollywood movies long enough that we can recognize the basic recipe. A pinch of fact, a fistful of...

Much of the work done by the HVO staff depends on field activities. Either scientists and technicians visit field sites to make observations and...

On April 6, 2004, Anatahan volcano in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) awakened from five months of slumber since its first...

A series of small earthquakes struck the Three Sisters volcanic center in the central Oregon Cascades on March 23-25. At the same time, staff members...

You may have read in the news lately about the island of Kaho`olawe, the target isle. After suffering years of degradation, first by feral goats, then...

Seismometers located across the island detect earthquakes and radio the electronic signals back to HVO. The arrival of the signals at HVO might seem...

If a sinkhole collapses in your back yard, where and how did the stuff disappear? Did an underground opening already exist (such as a lava tube), did...

March 25 marks the 20th anniversary of the most recent eruption of Mauna Loa. The eruption was preceded by roughly three years of increasing numbers...

When we think of the negative impact that volcanoes have on people, the local geographic area of the eruption generally comes to mind. Ash, lava, and...

The worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century occurred in 1902 on Martinique, an island in the French West Indies.

About 2.5 km (1.5 miles) down the Hilina Pali Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are two tiny kipuka that help geologists decipher obscure parts...

People frequently ask, "What's with all these eruptions I hear about? Is volcanic activity increasing?" Indeed, a plot of reported eruptions over the...

In 2003, the seismic data analysts at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) examined and archived 10,591 earthquakes on the...

Last week, the judging phase of the Hawai`i District Science Fair was completed and the awards given to deserving young scientists. The staff at the...

Any institution, whether commercial, academic, or governmental, requires novel ideas to thrive. Fresh ideas come from training, sudden insights (the...

As reported in the previous Volcano Watch, a new vent opened on the south flank of Pu`u `O`o two weeks ago, on Sunday, January 18. The behavior of the...