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Volcano Watch — From lava flow to forest: Primary succession

Volcano Watch — From lava flow to forest: Primary succession

One of the most striking aspects of a newly formed lava flow is its barren and sterile nature. The process of colonization of such flows by plants and...

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Volcano Watch — Popocatepetl Acts Up

Volcano Watch — Popocatepetl Acts Up

Here's a quiz for all you volcano junkies: What's the second highest volcano in North America? Hint—it was named by the Aztecs and has been erupting...

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Volcano Watch — How long do eruptions last?

Volcano Watch — How long do eruptions last?

Kīlauea has been erupting for more than 16 years. Is this an exceptionally long time for an eruption to last? The answer is yes, but there have...

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Volcano Watch — Eruption of Kīlauea Volcano continues into its 17th year

Volcano Watch — Eruption of Kīlauea Volcano continues into its 17th year

Today is the 16th anniversary of the ongoing Pu`u `O`o-Kupaianaha eruption of Kīlauea Volcano. Lava has erupted from vents located on Kīlauea's east...

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Volcano Watch — Proposed experiment to discover source of Hawaiian volcanoes

Volcano Watch — Proposed experiment to discover source of Hawaiian volcanoes

When you visit the coast to watch lava pour into the sea, do you ever wonder where the lava came from and what path it took to the surface? We earth...

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Volcano Watch — Scientist-in-Charge of HVO recognized at international conference

Volcano Watch — Scientist-in-Charge of HVO recognized at international conference

Last week, four members of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory attended the annual fall meeting of the American Geophysical...

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Volcano Watch — How vulnerable are the Kulani prison sites to future lava flows?

Volcano Watch — How vulnerable are the Kulani prison sites to future lava flows?

At a recent public meeting, the State of Hawai`i outlined a proposal to locate a new, approximately 2,300-bed medium-security correctional facility 10...

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Volcano Watch — Why study the Puna Ridge?

Volcano Watch — Why study the Puna Ridge?

Scientists have learned a lot about the on-land part of Kīlauea's east rift zone, but little is known about its underwater part, the Puna Ridge. A...

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Volcano Watch — A glimpse underneath Mauna Loa

Volcano Watch — A glimpse underneath Mauna Loa

Hawai`i is one of the most extensively studied volcanic regions in the world. However, there is still very little known about the processes that take...

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Volcano Watch — Hawaiian honeycreepers and the molecular clock

Volcano Watch — Hawaiian honeycreepers and the molecular clock

One of the most useful gadgets in the geologist's tool box is the ability to measure the age of a lava flow, an island, or even the earth itself.
 

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Volcano Watch — Rocks float briefly where lava meets the sea

Volcano Watch — Rocks float briefly where lava meets the sea

Lava and the surf—two powerful forces seeking supremacy over each other. One consequence of this battle is "floating rocks" seen near the ocean entry...

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Volcano Watch — Water on volcanoes: heavy rain and crater lakes

Volcano Watch — Water on volcanoes: heavy rain and crater lakes

The terrible tragedy in Nicaragua and Honduras from Hurricane Mitch's extraordinary rainfall was made worse by a volcano. The volcano didn't erupt...

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