Science Nation: Kilauea--Up Close and Personal With Red-Hot Science

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is one of the best places on Earth to study processes within basaltic volcanoes. Its high eruption frequency, easy access to lavas, and distinct geologic setting far from plate boundaries or continents allow researchers to address fundamental problems related to active volcanoes. Another constant at Kilauea, besides the flowing lava, has been University of Hawaii geologist Mike Garcia. With support from the National Science Foundation, Garcia has been leading studies of Kilauea for a generation, adding to the extensive knowledge base on this volcano. Two of the primary goals are to determine what has triggered Kilauea’s effusive, explosive cycles over the last 2200 years and when long eruptions, such as the current one, will stop. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”

(Source: DCMP)