Volcano Science Center
Find U.S. Volcano
The Volcano Science Center is the primary center serving the mission of the USGS Volcano Hazards Program — to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest and eruption. The center is home to the five US volcano observatories with offices in Anchorage, Alaska; Menlo Park and Mountain View, California; Vancouver, Washington; and Hilo, Hawaii.
News
Volcano Watch — Remembering the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption a century later
Volcano Watch — Remembering the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption a century later
Young mountains, old rocks: A geological overview of the Teton range
Young mountains, old rocks: A geological overview of the Teton range
Volcano Watch — “Stick Season” in Hawaii? What Happened to the Leaves around Kīlauea Summit?
Volcano Watch — “Stick Season” in Hawaii? What Happened to the Leaves around Kīlauea Summit?
Publications
Tephra from Kīlauea’s 2008–2018 lava lake eruption—Proximal deposits and dispersal characteristics Tephra from Kīlauea’s 2008–2018 lava lake eruption—Proximal deposits and dispersal characteristics
A network of ten buckets was established early in the 2008–2018 summit eruption at Kīlauea to collect proximal tephra ejected from the new, informally named the “Overlook crater”; the buckets were emptied on most days of the eruption thereafter. This report summarizes the results of more than 2,400 different sampling intervals (most 1–3 days long) during the eruption, focusing on the...
High-resolution magnetic survey using an unoccupied aerial vehicle to constrain buried lava flow geometry, volume, and eruptive history of Little Cones, Crater Flat, Nevada High-resolution magnetic survey using an unoccupied aerial vehicle to constrain buried lava flow geometry, volume, and eruptive history of Little Cones, Crater Flat, Nevada
Magnetic surveys are an important tool used to augment geologic mapping in distributed volcanic fields. Using magnetic anomalies, it is possible to model the geometry of shallowly buried volcanic features, such as conduits, sills, and lava flows. This subsurface mapping is important for understanding eruption dynamics and emplacement of lava flows, and it sometimes reveals buried...
From start to stop: Simple methods for mapping susceptibility to landslide runout and debris-flow inundation From start to stop: Simple methods for mapping susceptibility to landslide runout and debris-flow inundation
Landslide runout and debris-flow inundation can disrupt areas well beyond their initial sources, causing widespread damage and extensive fatalities. Understanding where they start and how far they might travel is essential in many locations worldwide. However, most landslide susceptibility maps focus on initiation areas and fail to incorporate runout areas. Furthermore, hazards vary...
Science
Uplift along the north rim of Yellowstone Caldera
An area on the north rim of Yellowstone caldera, to the south of Norris Geyser Basin, started to uplift slightly in July 2025. Similar deformation occurred in the same area during 1996-2004 and reveals characteristics of the subsurface.
USGS volcano-hydrothermal fluid chemistry data
The USGS has published chemistry data for volcanic and hydrothermal fluids sampled at sites around the United States.
How are lava flows mapped in Hawaii?
Lava flow mapping provides situational awareness of volcanic eruptive hazards in Hawaii. During eruptions, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists employ a variety of techniques to collect and disseminate map data depicting key eruptive features, especially lava flows.