A new organization to improve coordination of U.S. volcano monitoring

Abstract

With nearly 70 active and potentially active volcanoes in five distinct tectonic settings, the United States is a volcanically vigorous country that repeatedly experiences significant levels of volcanic unrest and eruptive activity. Five interactive volcano observatories, supported mainly by the Volcano Hazards Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), conduct long‐term monitoring and associated research investigations (see text box). In addition,through a joint program of USGS and the U.S. Agency for International Development, some volcanoes in other countries are visited—by invitation— by rapid‐response teams of U.S. volcanologists who assist with monitoring and hazard assessment during periods of unrest or eruption.Monitoring operations at the volcano observatories are a cooperative undertaking, carried out using staff and facilities of USGS, and of partners at other federal and state agencies and at universities (These are partnerships that are formalized through Memoranda of Understanding, Congressional directive, or long‐standing cooperative agreements with USGS.) The dispersed geographic and institutional nature of the observatory activities requires substantial interaction among all the scientific partners to achieve the desired level of cooperation.