Volcano Watch

After the jolting wake-up call of October 15, 2006, most of us in the islands gained first-hand experience with what a large earthquake feels like.

The U.S. Exploring Expedition returned to Kīlauea last week, in the form of a riveting "After Dark in the Park" program delivered by Herman Viola of...

When we think about volcanology and meteorology, we usually put them in separate pigeonholes. At low emission rates, atmospheric pollutants produced...

Extraordinary volcanic eruptions have a way of changing the lives of many people, including scientists and students who find themselves in the middle...

Volcanology is an inexact science. At least, that is what we are always led to believe. Increased sophistication in measurement techniques however...

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Team are enrolled in a class to learn how to use radar to track volcanic ash clouds....

People who are fortunate enough to live in or visit Hawai`i, or even those who have seen the right television documentaries know that the majestic...

Hawaiian tradition dictates that travelers chant their genealogies upon meeting to let everyone know where they came from, both literally and...

A few months ago, this column carried an account of a submarine eruption near Tonga in August that produced substantial rafts of pumice. As the pumice...

A "hotspot" is not just a place where you can surf the Web. A hotspot is also a long-lasting place on the earth where an unusual amount of heat...

Seismologist Dave Wilson started work this week as the new manager of the HVO seismic monitoring network. He will take over the job vacated when...

Everybody remembers the shaking.

The eruption of Kīlauea entered into its 24th year this past week.

January 3 will mark the 24th anniversary of Kīlauea's longest rift-zone eruption in the last 600 years, but some people still aren't impressed.

Last week, six staff members of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) braved holiday travel and chilly rain to participate...

As the season's holidays rapidly approach, many keiki (children) in the islands are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jolly Saint Nick. However, it is...

A major challenge in mapping a volcano is to reconstruct reliably what happened in the past. Geologists employ a variety of different techniques to...

In the last six weeks, Hawai`i residents have been shaken by two major earthquakes and numerous aftershocks.

Many of us in Hawai`i received a rude awakening on October 15, 2006, as the first of two earthquakes struck near Kiholo Bay on the west side of the...

A new Pacific island breached the ocean surface in August 2006, thanks to the eruption of the Home Reef volcano in the Tonga island chain. Even before...