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Daily updates about ongoing eruptions, recent images and videos of summit and East Rift Zone volcanic activity, maps, and data about recent earthquakes in Hawaii are posted on the HVO website. 

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and colleagues.

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Volcano Watch — A spaceborne sentinel keeps watch over Hawaiian volcanoes

Volcano Watch — A spaceborne sentinel keeps watch over Hawaiian volcanoes

Geologists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) had their mobile phones buzzing this past week with automated alert messages, notifying them...

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Volcano Watch — Under the radar: Using weather stations to study Kīlauea’s December 20, 2020, plume

Volcano Watch — Under the radar: Using weather stations to study Kīlauea’s December 20, 2020, plume

This week marks the second anniversary of the appearance of water in Kīlauea’s Halema‘uma‘u crater, so it seems timely to discuss the water lake’s...

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Volcano Watch — Stressed out: Hawaiian volcanoes are heavy

Volcano Watch — Stressed out: Hawaiian volcanoes are heavy

Many people living in the Hawaiian Islands are accustomed to feeling occasional earthquakes since the State of Hawaii is one of the most seismically...

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Volcano Watch — Learning from the 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa

Volcano Watch — Learning from the 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa

The most recent page in Mauna Loa’s eruptive history was written in 1984. The eruption began in March of 1984, about a decade after the 1975 summit...

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Volcano Watch — Remembering Mauna Loa’s eruption on July 5–6, 1975

Volcano Watch — Remembering Mauna Loa’s eruption on July 5–6, 1975

Mauna Loa erupted forty-six years ago this week, on July 5–6, 1975, in a 20-hour event with vents confined to the summit region (the area above 3,660...

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Volcano Watch — Volcanoes in Canada, eh?

Volcano Watch — Volcanoes in Canada, eh?

Happy Canada Day/Bonne Fête du Canada! While some past "Volcano Watch" articles have had a July 4th theme for the USA, this year we’re taking the...

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Volcano Watch — Seismic halfalogues: earthquakes are only part of the conversation

Volcano Watch — Seismic halfalogues: earthquakes are only part of the conversation

The journey from volcanic repose to a climactic eruption is like a mystery movie that keeps you at the edge of your seat. The story is filled with...

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Volcano Watch — New Instrument Measures Lava Lake with Laser 

Volcano Watch — New Instrument Measures Lava Lake with Laser 

The night sky over Kīlauea summit lit up with the glow of lava Sunday, December 20th, 2020. Deep in the caldera, the gathered lake water was boiled by...

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Volcano Watch — Campaign season is here! Another way HVO tracks changes on Hawaiian volcanoes

Volcano Watch — Campaign season is here! Another way HVO tracks changes on Hawaiian volcanoes

Geodetic surveys measure the change in shape of our volcanoes due to changes in magma supply and storage. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)...

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Volcano Watch — What defines an eruption pause?

Volcano Watch — What defines an eruption pause?

Kīlauea’s recent volcano alert-level change, from Watch to Advisory, has attracted some attention.  

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Volcano Watch — Pau or Paused? What’s the difference?

Volcano Watch — Pau or Paused? What’s the difference?

The Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake celebrated its 5-month anniversary by doing what we all like to do on our special day, taking a break. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes...

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Volcano Watch — New research sheds light on recent Pāhala earthquake swarms

Volcano Watch — New research sheds light on recent Pāhala earthquake swarms

Many people in Kaʻū have noticed the swarm of earthquakes taking place during the past few years. These earthquakes are happening in a zone that is 29...

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