Richard Gregory Vaughan, PhD

I am a research scientist who specializes in using remote sensing tools and techniques to study dynamic geologic and environmental processes, with an emphasis on volcanic and geothermal phenomena.

Originally from Charlottesville, VA, I attended Virginia Tech (BS Geology, 1992); then went to grad school at the University of Georgia, where I studied the sulfur isotope geochemistry of seafloor hydrothermal sulfide deposits (black smoker chimneys) and went on a research cruise to the East Pacific Rise to dive in the Alvin submersible (MS 1995). Next, I worked as a field geologist in the mineral exploration / mining industry in Nevada, then returned to academia at the University of Nevada Reno (PhD 2004). My PhD project was focused on using infrared imaging spectroscopy to identify and map surface minerals associated with active geothermal systems, hydrothermal alteration, and acid mine drainage.

In October 2004, I started a Caltech postdoc at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA. Coincident with my first day on the job, Mount St Helens began a renewed lava dome eruption that lasted until 2008. Fortuitously, there was a NASA remote sensing aircraft in the region, ready to acquire high-resolution visible, thermal infrared, and LiDAR data in the Cascades. So, I hit the ground running, applying remote sensing expertise to study something that had long been an interest: active volcanism. Ever since, my research has focused on the remote characterization of thermal emission from active volcanic and geothermal areas.

I started at the USGS in 2008 as a Mendenhall postdoc, studying thermal activity in Yellowstone using satellite thermal infrared data. I am now the remote sensing team lead for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory and work closely with the National Park Service to use a combination of aerospace remote sensing observations and field work to map, measure, and monitor Yellowstone’s dynamic thermal areas. My goal is to better understand how thermal and gas emissions are related to (1) other signs of volcanic unrest (e.g., ground deformation and earthquakes), and (2) potentially hazardous volcanic / geothermal processes (e.g., hydrothermal explosions and vegetation kills). I also work on projects with other USGS volcano observatories, the Geothermal Resource Investigations Project, the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, and am a member of the Landsat Science Team.

In addition to scientific research, I work to support and promote effective science communication to public audiences. In addition to past teaching experiences at Pasadena City College, Cal State Northridge, and Northern Arizona University, I am the outreach coordinator for the USGS Flagstaff Science Campus.

Science and Products

February 3, 2023

Planetary Volcanology

The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volcanology. Volcanism is a key part of the chemical and thermal evolution of planetary bodies, and volcanic eruptions are one of the fundamental processes that create and alter the surface of planetary bodies. We often study volcanoes on Earth in order to better understand eruptions across the Solar System, but we also bring...

Core Science Systems Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

February 3, 2023

Planetary Volcanology

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February 28, 2022

Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET)

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Science Center (ASC) recently established the Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET) program. This service-oriented program is built around the recognition that the Earth is a fundamental training ground for human and robotic planetary exploration, and that ASC is in a unique position in northern Arizona with...

Core Science Systems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center, Planetary Geologic Mapping

February 28, 2022