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 ...

. 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 ...

, 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 volcani ...

chemistry, and

hydrologic Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is calle ...

conditions and activity between and during

eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often ...

s. 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 Ex ...

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, and ...

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 ...

. 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 ...

Cascades Volcano Observatory The David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) is a volcano observatory in the US that monitors volcanoes in the northern Cascade Range. It was established in the summer of 1980, after the eruption of Mount St. Helens.Hawaiian Volcano Observatory The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is an agency of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and one of five volcano observatories operating under the USGS Volcano Hazards Program. Based in Hilo, Hawaii, the observatory monitors six Hawaiian volcan ...

Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) is a Russian national institution dedicated to provide information of any volcanic activity taking place on the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands of Russia that could become a threat ...

* Montserrat Volcano Observatory * Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology * Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory * Southern Andean Volcano Observatory *

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 Fe ...

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 * Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

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
{{Portal bar, Earth sciences, Environment, Geography, Science Volcano monitoring

Monitor

Research

See also

References

External links