Abstract
Volcano monitoring, eruption response, and hazard assessment at volcanoes in the United States of America (US) fall under the mandate of five regional volcano observatories covering 161 active volcanoes. Working in a wide range of volcanic and geographic settings, US observatories must learn from and apply new knowledge and techniques to a great variety of scientific and hazard communication problems in volcanology. Over the past decade, experience during volcanic crises, such as the landmark 2018 eruption of Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi, has combined with investments and advances in research and technology, and the changing needs of partner agencies and the public, to transform the operations, science, and communication programs of US volcano observatories. Scientific and operational lessons from the past decade now guide new research and growing inter-observatory and external communication networks to meet new challenges and improve detection, forecasting, and response to volcanic eruptions in the US and around the world.
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Acknowledgements
This brief review summarizes some of the many contributions by past and present USGS Volcano Science Center directors, Scientists-in-Charge of the volcano observatories, the Volcano Hazards Program Office, observatory staff, and our many partners in federal, state, and local governments and academia. We thank Wes Thelen, Peter Kelly, Tom Parker, Mike Poland, Carolyn Parcheta, Emily Montgomery-Brown, Matt Patrick, Tim Orr, John Power, John Paskievitch, and Peter Cervelli for help collating VSC monitoring network data and other insights. Cartography in Fig. 1a by Joe Bard. Demographic data in Fig. 1c estimated from VSC records by Seth Moran. We thank Kathy Cashman, Nico Fournier, Seth Moran, Mike Poland, Tom Murray, and one anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments in improving this manuscript. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.
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Editorial responsibility: K.V. Cashman
This paper constitutes part of a topical collection: Looking Backwards and Forwards in Volcanology: A Collection of Perspectives on the Trajectory of a Science
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Dietterich, H.R., Neal, C.A. A look ahead to the next decade at US volcano observatories. Bull Volcanol 84, 63 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-022-01567-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-022-01567-3