North shore view of Alamagan, CNMI

In this north shore view of Alamagan (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) on May 21, 2006, sparse clouds were covering the shoreline. The photo was taken as scientists and volunteers from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory returned from site visits on Pagan (located approximately 30 miles north of Alamagan). The last known volcanic eruption on Alamagan was in 870 CE, but fumarolic activity was continuing on the island as recent as June 1992. Local collaboration with the Saipan Emergency Management Office made the multi-day field campaign possible.