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A volcano observatory is an institution that conducts research and monitoring of a
volcano A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are ...
. Each observatory provides continuous and periodic monitoring of the
seismicity Seismicity is a measure encompassing earthquake occurrences, mechanisms, and magnitude at a given geographical location. As such, it summarizes a region's seismic activity. The term was coined by Beno Gutenberg and Charles Francis Richter in 19 ...
, other geophysical changes, ground movements,
volcanic gas Volcanic gases are gases given off by active (or, at times, by dormant) volcanoes. These include gases trapped in cavities (vesicles) in volcanic rocks, dissolved or dissociated gases in magma and lava, or gases emanating from lava, from volcanic ...
chemistry, and hydrologic conditions and activity between and during eruptions. They also provide a detailed record of eruptions in progress.


Monitor

These observations serve to characterize eruptive behavior, identify the nature of precursory activity leading to eruption, define the processes by which different types of deposits are emplaced, and specify the hazards that could be unleashed by each kind of eruption. From direct observation of precursory signs, it is possible to anticipate eruptions. In times of volcanic unrest, observatories issue warnings and recommendations - they take on an advisory role for decision-making governmental civil defense agencies (the
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
in the U.S. or the
Protezione Civile The (Civil Protection), officially (Civil Protection Department), is the national body in Italy that deals with the prediction, prevention and management of emergency events. It was established in 1992 by , which was updated in 2012, and it is ...
in Italy) and ideally continue producing observational data.


Research

Underlying all observatory operations is an ongoing program of fundamental research in volcanic processes, supplemented by collaborative studies with universities, government agencies (in the U.S. for instance with other
US Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, an ...
centers, and
NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
), industry and
non-governmental organizations A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
. Such research typically includes direct interpretation of the monitoring and eruption data, and it leads to formulation of conceptual models that can be tested by theoretical or laboratory simulations of volcanic systems. Almost all observatories are members of the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO). The oldest volcano observatory is the Osservatorio Vesuviano (founded 1841) in Naples, now a member of the Italian government agency
INGV The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology ( it, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, INGV) is a research institute for geophysics and volcanology in Italy. INGV is funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and ...
.


See also

* Alaska Volcano Observatory * California Volcano Observatory * Cascades Volcano Observatory * Hawaiian Volcano Observatory * Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team * Montserrat Volcano Observatory *
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS, ; tl, Surian ng Pilipinas sa Bulkanolohiya at Sismolohiya) is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide information on the activities of volcanoes, earthquakes, and ...
*
Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory The Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory is a volcano observatory in the village of Bourg-Murat on the island of Réunion that monitors the Piton de la Fournaise shield volcano in the Indian Ocean. It is part of the Institut de Physique du Glo ...
*
Southern Andean Volcano Observatory The Southern Andean Volcano Observatory (Spanish: ''Observatorio Volcanológico de los Andes del Sur''), also known by its acronyms as OVDAS, is part of ''Red Nacional de Vigilancia Volcánica'', a program of the Chilean National Geology and Minin ...
*
Vesuvius Observatory The Vesuvius Observatory ( it, Osservatorio Vesuviano) is the surveillance centre for monitoring the three volcanic areas of Campania, Italy: Mount Vesuvius, the Phlegrean Fields and Ischia. Founded in 1841 on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius by Fer ...
*
Volcanic Ash Advisory Center A Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) is a group of experts responsible for coordinating and disseminating information on atmospheric volcanic ash clouds that may endanger aviation. As at 2019, there are nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers located a ...
*
Volcano warning schemes of the United States In October 2006, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) adopted a nationwide alert system for characterizing the level of unrest and eruptive activity at volcanoes. The system is now used by the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the California Volcano ...
*
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) is a volcano observatory that primarily monitors the Yellowstone Caldera in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. The observatory's jurisdiction also includes volcanic centers in the states of Col ...


References

*Thompson, Dick (2002
''Volcano Cowboys: The Rocky Evolution of a Dangerous Science''
Macmillan pp 53–59, 142, 175 *James Monroe, Reed Wicander, Richard Hazlett (2006
''Physical Geology: Exploring the Earth''
Cengage Learning pg 167 *Rob Young, Lisa Norby (2009) ''Geological Monitoring'' pg 273


External links




WOVO: World Organization of Volcano Observatories website



Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
*

- '' Campania, Italy'' *
Sezione di Catania (Mt. Etna)

Observatorio Volcanológico De los Andes del Sur
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