Volcano Watch

Reggie and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory were inextricably associated for 34 years. I was privileged to be part of the relationship for much of...

One of the most striking aspects of a newly formed lava flow is its barren and sterile nature. The process of colonization of such flows by plants and...

Here's a quiz for all you volcano junkies: What's the second highest volcano in North America? Hint—it was named by the Aztecs and has been erupting...

Kīlauea has been erupting for more than 16 years. Is this an exceptionally long time for an eruption to last? The answer is yes, but there have...

Today is the 16th anniversary of the ongoing Pu`u `O`o-Kupaianaha eruption of Kīlauea Volcano. Lava has erupted from vents located on Kīlauea's east...

When you visit the coast to watch lava pour into the sea, do you ever wonder where the lava came from and what path it took to the surface? We earth...

Last week, four members of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory attended the annual fall meeting of the American Geophysical...

At a recent public meeting, the State of Hawai`i outlined a proposal to locate a new, approximately 2,300-bed medium-security correctional facility 10...

Scientists have learned a lot about the on-land part of Kīlauea's east rift zone, but little is known about its underwater part, the Puna Ridge. A...

Hawai`i is one of the most extensively studied volcanic regions in the world. However, there is still very little known about the processes that take...

One of the most useful gadgets in the geologist's tool box is the ability to measure the age of a lava flow, an island, or even the earth itself.
 

Lava and the surf—two powerful forces seeking supremacy over each other. One consequence of this battle is "floating rocks" seen near the ocean entry...

The terrible tragedy in Nicaragua and Honduras from Hurricane Mitch's extraordinary rainfall was made worse by a volcano. The volcano didn't erupt...

Every day, tourists and locals visit Kolekole stream to see 70 cubic meters of water per second (18,000 gallons per minute or gpm) cascade 135 m (442...

Early Sunday morning shoppers at the Volcano farmers market can purchase delicious greenhouse tomatoes grown in Mountain View. In a cool mauka (inland...

The major part of each Hawaiian volcano lies below sea level, which creates a logistical nightmare: How does one study the submarine slopes?

Scientists know more about the history and inner dynamics of Kīlauea than they do about most other volcanoes in the world. Yet a major portion of the...

A 1,262-m-deep (4,139-ft-deep) research hole was drilled in the southwest corner of Kīlauea's caldera in 1973. At the time, this was the deepest hole...

Kīlauea Volcano's summit has been slowly subsiding since 1983, the year that the ongoing Pu`u O`o-Kupaianaha eruption started. This broad and gentle...

With this article, "Volcano Watch" broadens its scope to include items of biological interest related to Hawai`i volcanoes. Once every two months, the...