James W. Vallance
I supervise the field geology and hydrology group at Cascades Volcano Observatory. My research focuses on postglacial volcanism and hazards at volcanoes such as Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington State. I also study the nature and behavior of lahars, floods, avalanches, pyroclastic flows, and dome growth.
Education and Certifications
PhD Geology, Michigan Technological University, 1994
MS Geology, Colorado University, Boulder, 1986
BA Geology, Colorado University, Boulder, 1980
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Honors and Awards
Fellow, Geological Society of America
NSERC and NSF postdoctoral fellowships, McGill University, Canada
Science and Products
Makushin Volcano: Recent eruptive history and ash hazards Makushin Volcano: Recent eruptive history and ash hazards
Lahars: Origins, behavior and hazards Lahars: Origins, behavior and hazards
A latest Pleistocene and Holocene composite tephrostratigraphic framework for northeastern North America A latest Pleistocene and Holocene composite tephrostratigraphic framework for northeastern North America
Petrology and geochemistry of three early Holocene eruptions from Makushin volcano, Alaska Petrology and geochemistry of three early Holocene eruptions from Makushin volcano, Alaska
Ash aggregate-rich pyroclastic density currents of the 431 CE Tierra Blanca Joven eruption, Ilopango caldera, El Salvador Ash aggregate-rich pyroclastic density currents of the 431 CE Tierra Blanca Joven eruption, Ilopango caldera, El Salvador
Advances in our understanding of pyroclastic current behavior from the 1980 eruption sequence of Mount St. Helens volcano (Washington), USA Advances in our understanding of pyroclastic current behavior from the 1980 eruption sequence of Mount St. Helens volcano (Washington), USA
Science and Products
Makushin Volcano: Recent eruptive history and ash hazards Makushin Volcano: Recent eruptive history and ash hazards
Lahars: Origins, behavior and hazards Lahars: Origins, behavior and hazards
A latest Pleistocene and Holocene composite tephrostratigraphic framework for northeastern North America A latest Pleistocene and Holocene composite tephrostratigraphic framework for northeastern North America
Petrology and geochemistry of three early Holocene eruptions from Makushin volcano, Alaska Petrology and geochemistry of three early Holocene eruptions from Makushin volcano, Alaska
Ash aggregate-rich pyroclastic density currents of the 431 CE Tierra Blanca Joven eruption, Ilopango caldera, El Salvador Ash aggregate-rich pyroclastic density currents of the 431 CE Tierra Blanca Joven eruption, Ilopango caldera, El Salvador
Advances in our understanding of pyroclastic current behavior from the 1980 eruption sequence of Mount St. Helens volcano (Washington), USA Advances in our understanding of pyroclastic current behavior from the 1980 eruption sequence of Mount St. Helens volcano (Washington), USA
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government