Conveying Volcano Information Effectively to Stakeholders – A New Project for Promotion of Next Generation Volcano Research

Abstract

A new program for the Next Generation Volcano Research and Human Resource Development started in 2016, following the government’s analysis of a volcanic disaster at Mount Ontake in 2014. One of its important purposes is the development of a technology that can provide visualized information of imminent volcanic hazards to the stakeholders. The latter include researchers in the Volcano Disaster Prevention Councils. Since the volcanic activity in Japan has been relatively less in the past few hundred years, larger eruptions are certainly expected to occur in the near future. Volcanic risk management has developed in Japan independently of university or institutional research, and by a national law, researchers are not allowed to officially forecast imminent volcanic eruptions. In the case of large eruptions never being observed, a close communication between the Japan Meteorological Agency and researchers becomes very important. Our project goal is issuing effective information on real-time observational and hazard mitigation simulation data to the stakeholders and researchers. Based on our inspection and interviews we develop information tools using which the above data are provided effectively and the dissemination and education of volcanic disasters are performed.