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Volcano Hazards Program

Find U.S. Volcano

There are about 160 potentially active volcanoes in the U.S. The mission of the USGS Volcano Hazards Program is to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest and eruption through our National Volcano Early Warning System. We deliver forecasts, warnings, and information about volcano hazards based on a scientific understanding of volcanic behavior.

News

New publication on geochemistry of Kīlauea lava fountains

New publication on geochemistry of Kīlauea lava fountains

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit episode 55

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit episode 55

Volcano Watch — Remembering a time when I forgot that Hawaii has earthquakes

Volcano Watch — Remembering a time when I forgot that Hawaii has earthquakes

Publications

Erupted volume during the 2014–2023 Semisopochnoi unrest and eruption constrained by multi-platform InSAR and volcanic gas observations Erupted volume during the 2014–2023 Semisopochnoi unrest and eruption constrained by multi-platform InSAR and volcanic gas observations

Volcano deformation data provide important constraints on magma dynamics during volcanic unrest and eruptions. From these observations, we can estimate subsurface pressure changes and relate them to volume change in the reservoir. However, because magma and rock are compressible, this volume change cannot be directly equated with eruptive volume. When we combine geodetic analyses with...
Authors
Mario Angarita, Valerie Wasser, Ronni Grapenthin, Allan Lerner, Taryn Lopez, Revathy M. Parameswaran, John J. Lyons

Dismembering the Lava Creek Tuff, Yellowstone volcano Dismembering the Lava Creek Tuff, Yellowstone volcano

The youngest large explosive eruption of Yellowstone volcano generated the 0.63 Ma Lava Creek Tuff (LCT) ignimbrite and a voluminous, widespread fall deposit accompanying formation of Yellowstone Caldera. The tuff is conventionally divided into members A (LCT-A) and B (LCT-B), defined by a reversal in density/welding profiles and the presence of phenocrystic amphibole in LCT-A. Remapping...
Authors
Stacy L. Henderson, Madison L. Myers, Mark E. Stelten, Colin J.N. Wilson

Insights from more than a year of ongoing episodic lava fountaining at Kilauea Insights from more than a year of ongoing episodic lava fountaining at Kilauea

Episodic lava fountaining is rare globally, with only three occurrences from Kīlauea (Hawaii) since 1823. Beginning in December 2024, an eruption within the summit crater, Halemaʻumaʻu, has produced 52 fountaining episodes to date, each lasting typically for hours and separated by days to weeks. Although multiple mechanisms have been proposed, fundamental questions remain about how magma...
Authors
Ashton F. Flinders, Natalia I. Deligne, Ken Hon, Drew T. Downs, Kendra J. Lynn, Patricia A. Nadeau, Katie Mulliken, Jefferson C. Chang, Peter J. Dotray, Marco Bagnardi, Ingrid A. Johanson, Michael H. Zoeller, Kyle R. Anderson, Matthew R. Patrick, Christoph Kern, Christine Ruth Sealing, Michael P. Poland, David Alan Phillips, Michael Cappos, Liliana G. Desmither, Andria P. Ellis, Steven Fuke, Pauline N. Fukunaga, Madeline Kaliko Hawk, Thomas-Jon Kekoa Hiroaki Hoomanawanui, John David Jamora, Albert Keliiaimoku Kamake'eaina, Kevan Kamibayashi, William Tollett, Kody Rubio, Seth Soren Swaney, S. Miki Warren, Heather Brianne Winslow, Ninfa Lucia Bennington, Arthur Jolly, R.G. Adams, M. Decker, L. Forster, Elisabeth Gallant, Cheryl Gansecki, Richard W. Hazlett, B.F. Houghton, N. Kohagura, S. Lundblad, N.G. Pasqualon, K. Poepoe, Hannah Kelsay Neuman, C. Cauley, K. Wilde
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