Peter Cervelli
Science and Products
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea provides a basis for research into alien atmospheres
Thomas Jaggar, the first director of the Hawaiʻian Volcano Observatory, from 1912-1940, probably never imagined that the gas compositions he measured in 1918-19 at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano would have such far-reaching applications in the future.
Volcano Watch — Volcanism on other planets
Since the beginning of the New Year, much attention has been focused on Earth's celestial neighbor, the planet Mars. Though the main goal of the current missions is to find evidence for past Martian life, we volcanologists are also watching developments on Mars with great enthusiasm.
Volcano Watch — Scientists Meet to Discuss Hazardous California Volcano
Two weeks ago, scientists from around the world came together to discuss past and future research on an important, but little known, volcano. Long Valley Volcano, near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California, does not have the classic look of Mt. Fuji or the characteristic shield-shape of Kīlauea or Mauna Loa.
Volcano Watch — New instrumentation on Mauna Loa's southwest rift zone
Last week, Maurice Sako and Kevan Kamibayashi, physical science technicians from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, spent three cold nights high on Mauna Loa's southwest rift zone.
Volcano Watch — Mixing Magmas at Krakatau
Throughout the early morning of August 27th, 1883 and into the late afternoon, the inhabitants of Rodriguez Island—a small speck of land in the southwest Indian Ocean—heard the sound of heavy guns firing in the distance.
Volcano Watch — What's happening at Mauna Loa?
Mauna Loa has gone 18.5 years without eruption--the second longest dry spell since detailed records begin in 1843. The longest period without eruption lasted 25 years, between 1950 and 1975. Clearly the past 52 years have been much less active than the previous 107.
Volcano Watch — Monitoring volcanic activity with electronc tiltmeters
Volcanic activity often results in various forms of ground motion. The scale of this motion, or deformation, to use the scientific term, ranges from the imperceptible bulging of a magma chamber to the meters-tall fault scarps formed during large earthquakes. The focus of today's article is at the lower end of this range-deformation that is too small for human perception.
Volcano Watch — Nyirangongo -- Could it happen here?
At dawn on January 17, 2002, the residents of Goma, a city of 500,000 along the eastern border of the Republic of Congo, awoke to glowing red skies and falling ash. A large eruption of Mount Nyiragongo was underway, the first since 1977.
Volcano Watch — Monitoring Kīlauea and Mauna Loa with the Global Positioning System
A common sight this time of year, particularly in Puna and the National Park, is a bright yellow tripod topped with a white disk. Usually seen standing by the side of the road, these instruments are Global Positioning System (GPS) antennas, which scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory use to measure small ground motions.