Areas of interest:
Professionals at the Hawaiian Volcanic Observatory will share knowledge of geoscience and allied fields with students via lectures and field trips. Students will attain an increased understanding of the integration necessary for these closely-related ear
th-science disciplines. Furthermore, students will have an excellent opportunity to work hands on with professionals, monitoring volcanic activity that represents an everyday natural geological hazard to the surrounding communities.
Geophysical techniques are being used to answer four critical questions
that arise do to this natural hazard. They are:
- Does the current unrest involve the movement of magma?
- If yes, when is an eruption most likely to occur, if at
all?
- During an eruption, what real-time warnings are needed to
prevent
loss of life?
- When is the eruption really over?
Other important questions are;
- What is the nature of a volcano's magma reservoir system?
- What is the cause of specific volcano-seismic events?
- How do volcanic ash clouds disperse downwind of an erupting
volcano?
- How susceptible to massive slope failures are volcanoes?
We will learn from experts how geophysics is being used to answer these questions.
We will be taken to observe carbonate environments and tropical fish. This will show us how a delicate ecosystem survives on the fringes of this ever-changing island.
Nature hikes and guided tours will provide a geologic overview of this very complex island.
The final presentation to faculty will give students a chance to communicate personal experiences, concepts, and knowledge gained from the Hawaiian field trip both orally and graphically using modern multimedia technology.