Michael Poland
Biography
Mike is a research geophysicist with the Cascades Volcano Observatory and the current Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. His area of specialization is volcano geodesy, which emphasizes the surface deformation and gravity fields associated with volcanic activity. This work involves the use of space-based technologies, like Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), as well as ground-based techniques, like microgravity surveys. Mike has taken part in studies on a variety of volcanic systems in the United states, including Mount St. Helens and other volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest, Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes in Hawaii, and the Yellowstone caldera. His recent work has focused on using gravity change over time to understand the character of the fluids that drive volcanic unrest, and also on the potential of satellite data to improve forecasts of future changes in volcanic activity.
Education:
- Arizona State University: Ph.D. (2001), Geological Sciences
- University of California, Davis: B.S. (1997), Geology
Appointments:
- U.S. Geological Survey - Yellowstone Volcano Observatory: Scientist-in-Charge (2017 - present)
- U.S. Geological Survey – Cascades Volcano Observatory: Research Geophysicist (2015 - present)
- U.S. Geological Survey – Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Research Geophysicist (2005 - 2015)
- U.S. Geological Survey – Cascades Volcano Observatory: Research Geophysicist (2002 - 2005)
- Department of Geology, Clark College (Vancouver, Washington): Instructor (2004)
- Arizona State University, Department of Geological Sciences: Graduate Teaching/Research Assoc. (1997 - 2001)
Science and Products
Dikes in the Koaʻe fault system, and the Koaʻe-east rift zone structural grain at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
Two small scoria vents were discovered in the Koa‘e fault system, an extensional regime connecting the east and southwest rift zones of Kīlauea that was previously considered to be noneruptive. The chemical composition of the scoria suggests an early to middle nineteenth-century age. The vents prove that magma can intrude several kilometers into...
Swanson, Donald A,; Fiske, Richard S.; Thornber, Carl; Poland, Michael P.Communication strategy of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory during the lava-flow crisis of 2014–2015, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii
In 2014–2015, a slow-moving pāhoehoe lava flow from the remote Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent on Kīlauea Volcano advanced 20 km into populated areas of the Puna District on the Island of Hawai‘i. The staff of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) mobilized their resources to closely monitor the flow and provide up-to-date...
Brantley, Steven; Kauahikaua, James P.; Babb, Janet; Orr, Tim R.; Patrick, Matthew R.; Poland, Michael P.; Trusdell, Frank A.; Oliveira, DarrylSpace-based imaging radar studies of U.S. volcanoes
The arrival of space-based imaging radar as a revolutionary land-surface mapping and monitoring tool little more than a quarter century ago enabled a spate of innovative volcano research worldwide. Soon after launch of European Space Agency’s ERS-1 spacecraft in 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey began SAR and InSAR studies of volcanoes in the...
Dzurisin, Daniel; Lu, Zhong; Poland, Michael P.; Wicks, Charles W.The 2018 rift eruption and summit collapse of Kilauea Volcano
In 2018, Kīlauea Volcano experienced its largest lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption and caldera collapse in at least 200 years. After collapse of the Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent on 30 April, magma propagated downrift. Eruptive fissures opened in the LERZ on 3 May, eventually extending ~6.8 km. A 4 May earthquake (M6.9) produced ~5 m of fault slip. Lava...
Neal, Christina A.; Brantley, Steven; Antolik, Loren; Babb, Janet; Burgess, Matthew K.; Cappos, Michael; Chang, Jefferson; Conway, Sarah; Desmither, Liliana; Dotray, Peter; Elias, Tamar; Fukunaga, Pauline; Fuke, Steven; Johanson, Ingrid; Kamibayashi, Kevan; Kauahikaua, James P.; Lee, R. Lopaka; Pekalib, S.; Miklius, Asta; Shiro, Brian; Swanson, Don; Nadeau, Patricia; Zoeller, Michael H.; Okubo, P.; Parcheta, Carolyn; Patrick, Matthew R.; Tollett, William; Trusdell, Frank A.; Younger, Edward F.; Montgomery-brown, Emily; Anderson, Kyle R.; Poland, Michael P.; Ball, Jessica L.; Bard, Joseph A.; Coombs, Michelle L.; Dietterich, Hannah R.; Kern, Christoph; Thelen, Weston; Cervelli, Peter; Orr, Tim R.; Houghton, Bruce F.; Gansecki, Cheryl; Hazlett, Richard; Lundgren, Paul; Diefenbach, Angela K.; Lerner, Allan; Waite, Greg; Kelly, Peter J.; Clor, Laura E.; Werner, Cynthia; Burgess, Matthew; Mulliken, Katherine; Fisher, GaryThermal, deformation, and degassing remote sensing time-series (A.D. 2000-2017) at the 47 most active volcanoes in Latin America: Implications for volcanic systems
Volcanoes are hazardous to local and global populations, but only a fraction are continuously monitored by ground-based sensors. For example, in Latin America, more than 60% of Holocene volcanoes are unmonitored, meaning long-term multi-parameter datasets of volcanic activity are rare and sparse. We use satellite observations of degassing, thermal...
Reath, Kevin; Pritchard, Matthew; Poland, Michael P.; Delgado, F.; Carn, S.; Coppola, D.; Andrews, B. J.; Ebmeier, S.K.; Rumpf, Mary (Elise); Henderson, S.; Baker, S.; Lundgren, P.; Wright, R. Erik; Biggs, J.; Lopez, T.; Wauthier, C.; Moruzzi, S.; Alcott, A.; Wessels, Rick; Griswold, Julia P.; Ogburn, Sarah E.; Loughlin, S. C.; Meyer, F.; Vaughan, R. Greg; Bagnardi, M.Magma supply to Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i, from inception to now: Historical perspective, current state of knowledge, and future challenges
Meticulous field observations are a common underpinning of two landmark studies conducted by Don Swanson dealing with the rate at which magma is supplied to Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. The first combined effusion rate and ground deformation observations to show that the supply rate to Kīlauea was constant at ~0.11 km3/yr during three sustained...
Dzurisin, Daniel; Poland, Michael P.Towards coordinated regional multi-satellite InSAR volcano observations: Results from the Latin America pilot project
Within Latin America, about 319 volcanoes have been active in the Holocene, but 202 of these volcanoes have no seismic, deformation or gas monitoring. Following the 2012 Santorini Report on satellite Earth Observation and Geohazards, the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) developed a 4-year pilot project (2013-2017) to demonstrate...
Pritchard, Matthew; Biggs, Juliet; Wauthier, Christelle; Sansosti, Eugenio; Arnold, David W. D.; Delgado, Francisco; Ebmeier, Susanna; Henderson, Scott; Stephens, Kristen; Cooper, C.; Wnuk, Kendall; Amelung, Falk; Aguilar, Victor Rivera; Mothes, Patricia; Macedo, Orlando; Lara, Luis E.; Poland, Michael P.; Zoffoli, SimonaA retrospective look at the February 1993 east rift zone intrusion at Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii
The February 1993 dike intrusion in the East Rift Zone (ERZ) of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i, was recognized from tilt and seismic data, but ground-based geodetic data were too sparse to constrain the characteristics of the intrusion. Analysis of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) from the Japan Aerospace...
Conway, Sarah; Wauthier, Christelle; Fukushima, Yo; Poland, Michael P.Continuous gravity and tilt reveal anomalous pressure and density changes associated with gas pistoning within the summit lava lake of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi
Gas piston events within the summit eruptive vent of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i, are characterized by increases in lava level and by decreases in seismic energy release, spattering, and degassing. During 2010–2011, gas piston events were especially well manifested, with lava level rises of tens of meters over the course of several hours, followed by...
Poland, Michael P.; Carbone, DanieleMass addition at Mount St. Helens, Washington, inferred from repeated gravity surveys
Measurements of subtle changes in the Earth’s gravityfield can provideinformation on the addition/loss of mass (e.g., magma or aqueousfluids) beneath a volcano. In this study, wemeasured gravity at Mount St. Helens from 2010 to 2016 to investigate possible mass changes followingthe 2004–2008 dome-forming eruption. The raw gravity measurements were...
Battaglia, Maurizio; Lisowski, Michael; Dzurisin, Daniel; Poland, Michael P.; Schilling, Steve; Diefenbach, Angela K.; Wynn, JeffAbundant carbon in the mantle beneath Hawai`i
Estimates of carbon concentrations in Earth’s mantle vary over more than an order of magnitude, hindering our ability to understand mantle structure and mineralogy, partial melting, and the carbon cycle. CO2 concentrations in mantle-derived magmas supplying hotspot ocean island volcanoes yield our most direct constraints on mantle carbon, but...
Anderson, Kyle R.; Poland, Michael P.Volcano Geodesy: Recent developments and future challenges
Ascent of magma through Earth's crust is normally associated with, among other effects, ground deformation and gravity changes. Geodesy is thus a valuable tool for monitoring and hazards assessment during volcanic unrest, and it provides valuable data for exploring the geometry and volume of magma plumbing systems. Recent decades have seen an...
Fernandez, Jose F.; Pepe, Antonio; Poland, Michael P.; Sigmundsson, FreysteinnYellowstone — the year 2018 in review
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Volcano Watch — How does the current activity at Kīlauea caldera stack up against those of other volcanoes worldwide?
We are currently witnessing extraordinary events at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. For weeks the summit has subsided both in a continuous fashion and in incremental and jolting drops. As Kīlauea is being reshaped before our eyes, how does the current activity compare to similar collapses at other volcanoes in the world, or even to previous collapses at Kīlauea.
Steamboat Counter
Steamboat Geyser, in the Norris Geyser Basin, appears to have entered a phase of more frequent water eruptions, much like it did in the 1960s and early 1980s. Although these eruptions do not have any implications for future volcanic activity at Yellowstone (after all, geysers are supposed to erupt, and most are erratic, like Steamboat), they are nonetheless spectacular.
International Volcano Science Meeting in Portland
Join volcano scientists from around the world during scientific meeting and associated public event in Portland.
Volcano Watch — Tracking the latest moves of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa
On the Island of Hawai‘i, deformation is measured primarily with three techniques: tiltmeters, GPS (Global Positioning System), and InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar).
Volcano Watch — Exploring USGS volcano observatories—Part 4: Yellowstone
Hawai‘i Island's 2017 Volcano Awareness Month is almost over, and our Volcano Watch series about U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) volcano observatories and their connections to Hawaii is also coming to an end. This week, we visit the observatory that monitors a volcano that produced some of the largest eruptions known on Earth—Yellowstone!
Volcano Watch — Exploring USGS volcano observatories—Part 3: California
This month, our Volcano Watch articles are exploring U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) volcano observatories and their connections to Hawai‘i. This week: California, here we come!
Volcano Watch — Exploring USGS volcano observatories—Part 2: Alaska
As part of Volcano Awareness Month, our January Volcano Watch articles are exploring the U.S. Geological Survey's volcano observatories and their connections to Hawaii. We continue this week with a visit to Alaska.
Volcano Watch — How well do you know USGS volcano observatories? Part 1: Cascades
It's January 2017, and, in addition to wishing you Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year), the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) welcomes you to the 8th annual Volcano Awareness Month on the Island of Hawai‘i!
Volcano Watch — Research of great gravity at Kīlauea reveals surprising insights
Readers of Volcano Watch might recall past articles that have described various ways in which the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) studies and monitors the active volcanoes of Hawaii. Today, we focus special attention on just one of those techniques: gravity.
Volcano Watch — A geological tour of the Hawaiian Islands: Hawai‘i
As the 2016 Volcano Awareness Month comes to an end, so too does our series of "Volcano Watch" articles exploring the geology of the Hawaiian Islands. This week, we conclude our journey with the Island of Hawai‘i.
Volcano Watch — A geologic tour of the Hawaiian Islands: Maui
As part of Volcano Awareness Month, our January "Volcano Watch" articles are taking us on a geologic tour of the Hawaiian Islands. Today's stop: Maui, as well as the islands of Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, and Kaho‘olawe, all of which form Maui County.