As the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption showed, volcanoes pose significant threats to U.S. communities. Potential hazards posed by U.S. volcanoes include tephra falls, pyroclastic flows and surges, VOG, ballistic projectiles, lahar and lava flows. In collaboration with researchers from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program, the Hazards Vulnerability Team worked on better understanding and communicating community vulnerability to volcano hazards.
How many people live and work in volcano lahar-hazard zones?
We used geospatial tools to estimate the number and type of people, businesses, and land cover in the lahar-hazard zones downstream of Mount Rainier, Washington. In the report, communities are compared in terms of the number and community percentage of populations and assets in lahar-hazard zones. In a related article, we compare community exposure to lahar hazards and lahar arrival time to identify distinct clusters of types of community vulnerability to Mount Rainier lahar hazards.
In addition to residents and employees, who else may be in volcano hazard zones?
We examined the distribution of residents, employees, and tourists relative to volcano hazards associated with Mount Hood, Oregon to help Clackamas County officials in their risk-reduction efforts.
Below are FAQ associated with this project.
How can we tell when a volcano will erupt?
Most volcanoes provide warnings before an eruption. Magmatic eruptions involve the rise of magma toward the surface, which normally generates detectable earthquakes. It can also deform the ground surface and cause anomalous heat flow or changes in the temperature and chemistry of the groundwater and spring waters. Steam-blast eruptions, however, can occur with little or no warning as superheated...
How Do Volcanoes Erupt?
Deep within the Earth it is so hot that some rocks slowly melt and become a thick flowing substance called magma. Since it is lighter than the solid rock around it, magma rises and collects in magma chambers. Eventually, some of the magma pushes through vents and fissures to the Earth's surface. Magma that has erupted is called lava. Some volcanic eruptions are explosive and others are not. The...
Does Portland, Oregon have a volcano within its metropolitan area?
The town of Portland, Oregon does have most of a Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanic field within its metropolitan boundaries. The Boring Volcanic Field consists of more than 80 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes. The youngest volcano (Beacon Rock) in the Volcanic Field erupted about 57,000 years ago. Since activity began in this area 2.6 million years ago, it is rare for 50,000 years to pass...
As the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption showed, volcanoes pose significant threats to U.S. communities. Potential hazards posed by U.S. volcanoes include tephra falls, pyroclastic flows and surges, VOG, ballistic projectiles, lahar and lava flows. In collaboration with researchers from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program, the Hazards Vulnerability Team worked on better understanding and communicating community vulnerability to volcano hazards.
How many people live and work in volcano lahar-hazard zones?
We used geospatial tools to estimate the number and type of people, businesses, and land cover in the lahar-hazard zones downstream of Mount Rainier, Washington. In the report, communities are compared in terms of the number and community percentage of populations and assets in lahar-hazard zones. In a related article, we compare community exposure to lahar hazards and lahar arrival time to identify distinct clusters of types of community vulnerability to Mount Rainier lahar hazards.
In addition to residents and employees, who else may be in volcano hazard zones?
We examined the distribution of residents, employees, and tourists relative to volcano hazards associated with Mount Hood, Oregon to help Clackamas County officials in their risk-reduction efforts.
Below are FAQ associated with this project.
How can we tell when a volcano will erupt?
Most volcanoes provide warnings before an eruption. Magmatic eruptions involve the rise of magma toward the surface, which normally generates detectable earthquakes. It can also deform the ground surface and cause anomalous heat flow or changes in the temperature and chemistry of the groundwater and spring waters. Steam-blast eruptions, however, can occur with little or no warning as superheated...
How Do Volcanoes Erupt?
Deep within the Earth it is so hot that some rocks slowly melt and become a thick flowing substance called magma. Since it is lighter than the solid rock around it, magma rises and collects in magma chambers. Eventually, some of the magma pushes through vents and fissures to the Earth's surface. Magma that has erupted is called lava. Some volcanic eruptions are explosive and others are not. The...
Does Portland, Oregon have a volcano within its metropolitan area?
The town of Portland, Oregon does have most of a Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanic field within its metropolitan boundaries. The Boring Volcanic Field consists of more than 80 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes. The youngest volcano (Beacon Rock) in the Volcanic Field erupted about 57,000 years ago. Since activity began in this area 2.6 million years ago, it is rare for 50,000 years to pass...