Hawai'i Volcano Blog

Kīlauea has had a long and active history, and each eruption provides us new insights into volcanic processes and hazards.

It takes a village to run a volcano observatory.

This belated Volcano Watch should have been written in January when David and his wife Francine Coloma, who is a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), moved to Hilo.

“Because HVO has over 100 years of volcano monitoring experience, scientists from volcano observatories around the world are eager to visit and learn from HVO and our active volcanoes.”

HVO staff, as well as scientists from other USGS observatories and UH, provide instruction and hands-on training in geophysical, geochemical, and geological methods of monitoring and assessing volcano hazards.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory offers more resources to learn about lava flows.

Our analysis indicates that increasing pressure in the magmatic system, which far exceeds the change in pressure modeled as due to rainwater infiltration, was the primary driver in triggering the 2018 eruption.

Forty years ago, no scientists in the USGS and academia were adept at monitoring all types of active volcanoes.

The first eruption in the Cascades since 1914­–1917 (Lassen Peak) started on March 27, 1980.

Janet volunteered at HVO for many years before being hired in 2008 to help the Observatory manage public information during Kīlauea’s first summit eruption since 1982.

Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor and issue regular updates on Hawaiian volcanoes while also heeding Federal and CDC, as well as State and County guidelines to maintain the health and safety of our staff and the community.

When a sample is collected, it’s important to document the sample’s “metadata.”

HVO carefully archives or curates these precious geological samples collected by current and past HVO geologists, collaborators, visiting scientists, and volunteers.

Last week’s Volcano Watch provided details of events leading up to the dropping of bombs on a Mauna Loa lava flow on December 27, 1935. Here’s the rest of the story.

In late February 2020, Hawaii media reported on the recent discovery of two bombs on the north flank of Mauna Loa, but details were lacking.

In recognition of this historic event, we look back at the eruption and compare it to what happened in 2018. 

Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has officially reopened to the public after the eruption of Kilauea shut it down for over a year.

The origin(s) of volcanic ash deposits on the Island of Hawai‘i have been an enigma, especially those found on and between Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

While there used to be over 4,000 individual Portulaca plants in the Puhimau thermal area in 1983, there are now fewer than 30 naturally occurring individuals.