Drew T. Downs
I am a research geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and my main areas of research revolve around constructing geologic maps and unraveling the eruptive histories of volcanoes. To do this, I use a multidisciplinary approach using field studies, physical volcanology, geochronology, geochemistry, petrology, remote sensing, and many more techniques.
I have worked on volcanoes and volcanic fields in a variety of settings, including subduction-related arc volcanoes within New Zealand and the southern Cascades of California, the monogenetic volcanic field of of Harrat Rahat in Saudi Arabia, and unraveling the eruptive history and processes of volcanic rocks of the Hawaiian Islands.
Throughout my research career I have participated in studies on explosive and effusive volcanism ranging from high-silica rhyolites and trachytes to basaltic lava flows. Unraveling the eruptive history preserved at the surface to understanding deeper volcanic processes has led me to use a wide variety of techniques, such as field studies, physical volcanology, geochronology, geochemistry, petrology, paleomagnetism, remote sensing, and other novel methods that help to understand volcanic processes and further understanding of their hazards.
Education and Certifications
2014 - Ph.D., Geology, University of Auckland (New Zealand)
2009 - MSc, Southern Illinois University
2007 - BSc, Southern Illinois University
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
Paleomagnetic data from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Paleomagnetic data from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
This dataset includes paleomagnetic analyses of lava samples from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. Analyses were performed using a cryogenic magnetometer in Menlo Park, California, USA. The data were collected as part of fundamental geologic mapping of the Southwest Rift Zone, East Rift Zone, summit, and south flank regions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. These data (when...
Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF)
Samples of the Mauna Loa 2022 eruption were collected throughout the 15 days of the eruption, and from all eruptive vents, by the U.S. Geological Survey. Emphasis was placed on obtaining water-quenched flow samples, spatter and volcanic bombs wherever possible. This was not possible for the early Moku‘āweoweo, Southwest Rift Zone and upper Northeast Rift Zone vents which erupted during...
Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
During the 2020–2021 summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, staff at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) conducted 17 helicopter overflights of the eruption area between the dates of 21 December 2020 and 8 June 2021. Images captured during these flights were processed using the structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry technique to produce...
Radiocarbon ages, whole-rock chemistry, and electron probe microanalysis of lavas (1877, 1832, 1823, Kealaalea Hills, and Keanakākoʻi Tephra periods) from Kīlauea's summit and Southwest Rift Zone, Island of Hawaiʻi Radiocarbon ages, whole-rock chemistry, and electron probe microanalysis of lavas (1877, 1832, 1823, Kealaalea Hills, and Keanakākoʻi Tephra periods) from Kīlauea's summit and Southwest Rift Zone, Island of Hawaiʻi
This dataset includes radiocarbon ages, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) major-oxide and trace-element whole-rock analyses, and glass, olivine, and pyroxene analyses by electron microprobe (EPMA) of spatter and lava samples from the summit and Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. All of the radiocarbon ages were analyzed by DirectAMS in Bothell...
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
A limited suite of samples for the 2020–2023 Kīlauea eruptions within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) field teams from within a publicly closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in cooperation with the National Park Service. This data release presents sample metadata, whole rock ED-XRF, whole rock WD...
Whole rock and micro-analytical geochemistry of minerals, melt inclusions, and matrix glasses from Kapoho Crater and Puʻulena Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi Whole rock and micro-analytical geochemistry of minerals, melt inclusions, and matrix glasses from Kapoho Crater and Puʻulena Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi
Kilauea volcano (Hawaii, USA) is a shield volcano that exhibits both effusive and explosive eruptive activity. Although Kilauea has been predominantly built through effusive eruptions, explosive eruptions have occurred repeatedly at both Kilauea's summit and in the volcano's lower East Rift Zone (Moore, 1992; Swanson et al., 2014). This dataset presents geochemical analyses of samples...
Filter Total Items: 36
Understanding the evolution of scoria cone morphology using multivariate models Understanding the evolution of scoria cone morphology using multivariate models
Scoria cones are the most abundant type of volcano in the Solar System. They occur in every tectonic setting and often overlap with human populations, yet our ability to provide complete geochronology within volcanic fields remains limited. Appropriate geochronology underpins the reconstruction of size-frequency distribution and is a key input for robust volcanic hazard assessment...
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Pablo Grosse, Melody Whitehead, Marie-Noëlle Guilbaud, Drew T. Downs, Rina Noguchi, Matthieu Kervyn
Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage
Mauna Loa is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on Earth. The most recent eruption of Mauna Loa started on 27 November 2022, lasted for 13 days, and was preceded by the longest repose time of 38 years in its modern history. In this contribution, new trace- and highly siderophile-element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Re) abundances, 187Re-187Os, and 18O/16O data are reported for the...
Authors
Emily A. Rhoads, Anton Kutyrev, Ilya N. Bindeman, Kendra J. Lynn, Frank A. Trusdell, Drew T. Downs, Hunter R. Edwards, Geoffrey W. Cook, James M.D. Day
Remote single-station seismic monitoring of the July–October 2022 earthquake swarm at Tau volcano, American Samoa Remote single-station seismic monitoring of the July–October 2022 earthquake swarm at Tau volcano, American Samoa
From July to October 2022, a non-eruptive volcanic earthquake swarm occurred within ~15 km of Taʻū Island, located in eastern American Samoa. Felt reports from local residents were the only available information about the swarm when it started, as American Samoa lacked a seismic monitoring network. We developed a consistent single-station catalog for the entire swarm, using seismic data...
Authors
Clara Yoon, Robert Skoumal, Andrew J. Michael, A.D. Jolly, Andria P. Ellis, Drew T. Downs, Peter Dotray, Natalia I. Deligne, Jefferson Chang, Ninfa Lucia Bennington, Aaron Wech, Matthew M. Haney, Alicia J. Hotovec-Ellis, Elinor Lutu-McMoore, Marcus Langkilde
Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source
Maunaloa—the largest active volcano on Earth—erupted in 2022 after its longest known repose period (~38 years) and two decades of volcanic unrest. This eruptive hiatus at Maunaloa encompasses most of the ~35-year-long Puʻuʻōʻō eruption of neighboring Kīlauea, which ended in 2018 with a collapse of the summit caldera and an unusually voluminous (~1 km3) rift eruption. A long-term pattern...
Authors
Aaron J. Pietruszka, Daniel E. Heaton, Jared P. Marske, Marc D. Norman, Mahinaokalani G. Robbins, Reed B. Mershon, Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Arron R. Steiner, J. Michael Rhodes, Michael O. Garcia
Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa
Distinguishing periods of intermittent unrest from the run-up to eruption is a major challenge at volcanoes around the globe. Comparing multidisciplinary monitoring data with mineral chemistry that records the physical and spatio-temporal evolution of magmas fundamentally advances our ability to forecast eruptions. The recent eruption of Mauna Loa, Earth’s largest active volcano...
Authors
Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Frank A. Trusdell, Penny E. Wieser, Berenise Rangel, Baylee Rose McDade, Alicia J. Hotovec-Ellis, Ninfa Lucia Bennington, Kyle R. Anderson, Dawn Catherine Sweeney Ruth, Charlotte DeVitre, Andria P. Ellis, Patricia A. Nadeau, Laura E. Clor, Peter J. Kelly, Peter Dotray, Jefferson Chang
Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions
Rapid-response petrological monitoring is a major advance for volcano observatories, allowing them to build and validate models of plumbing systems that supply eruptions in near-real-time. The depth of magma storage has recently been identified as high-priority information for volcanic observatories, yet this information is not currently obtainable via petrological monitoring methods on...
Authors
Charlotte DeVitre, Penny E. Wieser, Alexander T. Bearden, Araela Richie, Berenise Rangel, Matthew Gleeson, John Grimsich, Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Natalia I. Deligne, Katherine M. Mulliken
Non-USGS Publications**
Downs, D.T., Rowland, J.V., Wilson, C.J.N., Rosenberg, M.D., Leonard, G.S., and Calvert, A.T., 2014, Evolution of the intra-arc Taupo-Reporoa Basin within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand: Geopshere, v. 10, p. 185-206, doi:10.1130/GES00965.1.
Downs, D.T., Wilson, C.J.N., Cole, J.W., Rowland, J.V., Calvert, A.T., Leonard, G.S., and Keall, J.M., 2014, Age and eruptive center of the Paeroa Subgroup ignimbrites (Whakamaru Group) within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 126, p. 1131-1144, doi:10.1130/B30891.1.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
Paleomagnetic data from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Paleomagnetic data from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
This dataset includes paleomagnetic analyses of lava samples from Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. Analyses were performed using a cryogenic magnetometer in Menlo Park, California, USA. The data were collected as part of fundamental geologic mapping of the Southwest Rift Zone, East Rift Zone, summit, and south flank regions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. These data (when...
Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF)
Samples of the Mauna Loa 2022 eruption were collected throughout the 15 days of the eruption, and from all eruptive vents, by the U.S. Geological Survey. Emphasis was placed on obtaining water-quenched flow samples, spatter and volcanic bombs wherever possible. This was not possible for the early Moku‘āweoweo, Southwest Rift Zone and upper Northeast Rift Zone vents which erupted during...
Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
During the 2020–2021 summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, staff at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) conducted 17 helicopter overflights of the eruption area between the dates of 21 December 2020 and 8 June 2021. Images captured during these flights were processed using the structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry technique to produce...
Radiocarbon ages, whole-rock chemistry, and electron probe microanalysis of lavas (1877, 1832, 1823, Kealaalea Hills, and Keanakākoʻi Tephra periods) from Kīlauea's summit and Southwest Rift Zone, Island of Hawaiʻi Radiocarbon ages, whole-rock chemistry, and electron probe microanalysis of lavas (1877, 1832, 1823, Kealaalea Hills, and Keanakākoʻi Tephra periods) from Kīlauea's summit and Southwest Rift Zone, Island of Hawaiʻi
This dataset includes radiocarbon ages, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) major-oxide and trace-element whole-rock analyses, and glass, olivine, and pyroxene analyses by electron microprobe (EPMA) of spatter and lava samples from the summit and Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi. All of the radiocarbon ages were analyzed by DirectAMS in Bothell...
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
A limited suite of samples for the 2020–2023 Kīlauea eruptions within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) field teams from within a publicly closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in cooperation with the National Park Service. This data release presents sample metadata, whole rock ED-XRF, whole rock WD...
Whole rock and micro-analytical geochemistry of minerals, melt inclusions, and matrix glasses from Kapoho Crater and Puʻulena Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi Whole rock and micro-analytical geochemistry of minerals, melt inclusions, and matrix glasses from Kapoho Crater and Puʻulena Crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi
Kilauea volcano (Hawaii, USA) is a shield volcano that exhibits both effusive and explosive eruptive activity. Although Kilauea has been predominantly built through effusive eruptions, explosive eruptions have occurred repeatedly at both Kilauea's summit and in the volcano's lower East Rift Zone (Moore, 1992; Swanson et al., 2014). This dataset presents geochemical analyses of samples...
Filter Total Items: 36
Understanding the evolution of scoria cone morphology using multivariate models Understanding the evolution of scoria cone morphology using multivariate models
Scoria cones are the most abundant type of volcano in the Solar System. They occur in every tectonic setting and often overlap with human populations, yet our ability to provide complete geochronology within volcanic fields remains limited. Appropriate geochronology underpins the reconstruction of size-frequency distribution and is a key input for robust volcanic hazard assessment...
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Pablo Grosse, Melody Whitehead, Marie-Noëlle Guilbaud, Drew T. Downs, Rina Noguchi, Matthieu Kervyn
Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage
Mauna Loa is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on Earth. The most recent eruption of Mauna Loa started on 27 November 2022, lasted for 13 days, and was preceded by the longest repose time of 38 years in its modern history. In this contribution, new trace- and highly siderophile-element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Re) abundances, 187Re-187Os, and 18O/16O data are reported for the...
Authors
Emily A. Rhoads, Anton Kutyrev, Ilya N. Bindeman, Kendra J. Lynn, Frank A. Trusdell, Drew T. Downs, Hunter R. Edwards, Geoffrey W. Cook, James M.D. Day
Remote single-station seismic monitoring of the July–October 2022 earthquake swarm at Tau volcano, American Samoa Remote single-station seismic monitoring of the July–October 2022 earthquake swarm at Tau volcano, American Samoa
From July to October 2022, a non-eruptive volcanic earthquake swarm occurred within ~15 km of Taʻū Island, located in eastern American Samoa. Felt reports from local residents were the only available information about the swarm when it started, as American Samoa lacked a seismic monitoring network. We developed a consistent single-station catalog for the entire swarm, using seismic data...
Authors
Clara Yoon, Robert Skoumal, Andrew J. Michael, A.D. Jolly, Andria P. Ellis, Drew T. Downs, Peter Dotray, Natalia I. Deligne, Jefferson Chang, Ninfa Lucia Bennington, Aaron Wech, Matthew M. Haney, Alicia J. Hotovec-Ellis, Elinor Lutu-McMoore, Marcus Langkilde
Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source
Maunaloa—the largest active volcano on Earth—erupted in 2022 after its longest known repose period (~38 years) and two decades of volcanic unrest. This eruptive hiatus at Maunaloa encompasses most of the ~35-year-long Puʻuʻōʻō eruption of neighboring Kīlauea, which ended in 2018 with a collapse of the summit caldera and an unusually voluminous (~1 km3) rift eruption. A long-term pattern...
Authors
Aaron J. Pietruszka, Daniel E. Heaton, Jared P. Marske, Marc D. Norman, Mahinaokalani G. Robbins, Reed B. Mershon, Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Arron R. Steiner, J. Michael Rhodes, Michael O. Garcia
Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa
Distinguishing periods of intermittent unrest from the run-up to eruption is a major challenge at volcanoes around the globe. Comparing multidisciplinary monitoring data with mineral chemistry that records the physical and spatio-temporal evolution of magmas fundamentally advances our ability to forecast eruptions. The recent eruption of Mauna Loa, Earth’s largest active volcano...
Authors
Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Frank A. Trusdell, Penny E. Wieser, Berenise Rangel, Baylee Rose McDade, Alicia J. Hotovec-Ellis, Ninfa Lucia Bennington, Kyle R. Anderson, Dawn Catherine Sweeney Ruth, Charlotte DeVitre, Andria P. Ellis, Patricia A. Nadeau, Laura E. Clor, Peter J. Kelly, Peter Dotray, Jefferson Chang
Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions
Rapid-response petrological monitoring is a major advance for volcano observatories, allowing them to build and validate models of plumbing systems that supply eruptions in near-real-time. The depth of magma storage has recently been identified as high-priority information for volcanic observatories, yet this information is not currently obtainable via petrological monitoring methods on...
Authors
Charlotte DeVitre, Penny E. Wieser, Alexander T. Bearden, Araela Richie, Berenise Rangel, Matthew Gleeson, John Grimsich, Kendra J. Lynn, Drew T. Downs, Natalia I. Deligne, Katherine M. Mulliken
Non-USGS Publications**
Downs, D.T., Rowland, J.V., Wilson, C.J.N., Rosenberg, M.D., Leonard, G.S., and Calvert, A.T., 2014, Evolution of the intra-arc Taupo-Reporoa Basin within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand: Geopshere, v. 10, p. 185-206, doi:10.1130/GES00965.1.
Downs, D.T., Wilson, C.J.N., Cole, J.W., Rowland, J.V., Calvert, A.T., Leonard, G.S., and Keall, J.M., 2014, Age and eruptive center of the Paeroa Subgroup ignimbrites (Whakamaru Group) within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 126, p. 1131-1144, doi:10.1130/B30891.1.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.