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This is a personal webpage focused (mostly) on volcanoes and my education/outreach efforts. If you are looking for my professional website and graduate student opportunities please visit my page at Boise State University. For information related specifically to the subject of volcano infrasound jump to the infravolc page or instagram page at @infravolc
(updated 11/01/22)
Two of my favorite things: Lava lakes and signal processing with MATLAB
REVENTADOR VOLCANO FIELD WORK
REVENTADOR VOLCANO FIELD WORK
Recent field trip to Reventador Volcano (in Ecuador) with Silvia Vallejos, Hugo Ortiz, and 14 great students. Together we learned about volcano monitoring using seismic, thermal imagery, and - of course - infrasound. Just getting to the volcano is difficult these days (see video; right). Thanks Gustavo, for the great drone shot.
Recent field trip to Reventador Volcano (in Ecuador) with Silvia Vallejos, Hugo Ortiz, and 14 great students. Together we learned about volcano monitoring using seismic, thermal imagery, and - of course - infrasound. Just getting to the volcano is difficult these days (see video; right). Thanks Gustavo, for the great drone shot.
trim_Gustavo_cable_car.movMORE LAHAR INFRASOUND
MORE LAHAR INFRASOUND
Animation below is from the 17 August 2022 lahar in Ceniza drainage. Science story behind this animation is making its way through the journal article review process, which takes some time. Hoping to see it published soon.
Animation below is from the 17 August 2022 lahar in Ceniza drainage. Science story behind this animation is making its way through the journal article review process, which takes some time. Hoping to see it published soon.
Fuego_lahar06291555_25min.mp4
CITIES ON VOLCANOES 12 IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA
CITIES ON VOLCANOES 12 IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA
I'm working to co-organize the next Cities on Volcanoes conference to be held in Antigua Guatemala in February 2024. It will the premier conference focused on volcanic hazards and risk mitigation and host more than 500 professionals. The reveal event in Greece in June was excellent; I had a chance to introduce Amilcar Roca and Carla Chun who in turn introduced the upcoming meeting. Learn more at cov12.org
I'm working to co-organize the next Cities on Volcanoes conference to be held in Antigua Guatemala in February 2024. It will the premier conference focused on volcanic hazards and risk mitigation and host more than 500 professionals. The reveal event in Greece in June was excellent; I had a chance to introduce Amilcar Roca and Carla Chun who in turn introduced the upcoming meeting. Learn more at cov12.org
LAHAR INFRASOUND
LAHAR INFRASOUND
(August 2022 update) I'm just now back from Guatemala working with students from BSU, Armando Pineda, Diego Rizzo, and friends from INSIVUMEH (Roberto, Amilcar R., Edgar, Sarai, and Amilcar). We were able to capture lahar events firsthand providing better data than those presented from last year at the Cities on Volcanoes conference in Heraklion. Thanks, INSIVUMEH, for supporting us and allowing us to stay at the observatory. The view was spectacular (see embedded video at right along with infrasound records; video imagery courtesy of Diego Rizzo).
(August 2022 update) I'm just now back from Guatemala working with students from BSU, Armando Pineda, Diego Rizzo, and friends from INSIVUMEH (Roberto, Amilcar R., Edgar, Sarai, and Amilcar). We were able to capture lahar events firsthand providing better data than those presented from last year at the Cities on Volcanoes conference in Heraklion. Thanks, INSIVUMEH, for supporting us and allowing us to stay at the observatory. The view was spectacular (see embedded video at right along with infrasound records; video imagery courtesy of Diego Rizzo).
Fuego_roof_avtrace_10.movTONGA ERUPTION
TONGA ERUPTION
The Hunga Ha`apai eruption in Tonga occurred on 15 January 2022 (~5 PM local time). Eight hours later the infrasound reached Idaho and was well recorded by sensors throughout the intermountain West. The incredible amplitudes (12 Pa peak-to-peak in Stanley) would have been deafening had they not be very low frequency below the threshold of human hearing. These sounds represent the loudest volcano sounds on Earth since Krakatau erupted in 1883. Below is an animation of the infrasound waveform and sound sped up by 10,000 times in Stanley Idaho. 72 hours becomes 26 s!
The Hunga Ha`apai eruption in Tonga occurred on 15 January 2022 (~5 PM local time). Eight hours later the infrasound reached Idaho and was well recorded by sensors throughout the intermountain West. The incredible amplitudes (12 Pa peak-to-peak in Stanley) would have been deafening had they not be very low frequency below the threshold of human hearing. These sounds represent the loudest volcano sounds on Earth since Krakatau erupted in 1883. Below is an animation of the infrasound waveform and sound sped up by 10,000 times in Stanley Idaho. 72 hours becomes 26 s!
Tongasoundx10000.mp4SCIENCE UPDATE
SCIENCE UPDATE
December 2021 is the annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting. I gave a presentation on Tuesday the 14th of December focused on "volcano opto-acoustics" using a dataset from Yasur Volcano in Vanuatu. See the findings in the video link at right.
December 2021 is the annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting. I gave a presentation on Tuesday the 14th of December focused on "volcano opto-acoustics" using a dataset from Yasur Volcano in Vanuatu. See the findings in the video link at right.
National Geographic sponsored field effort in Vanuatu
VOLCANOES!
VOLCANOES!
My primary research focus (and passion) is the study of actively exploding or effusing volcanoes, where I take measurements of earthquakes, sound waves, ground deformation, thermal and gas flux, and fly drones around craters to make maps. As a specialist in field-based data collection I get to travel globally and work with scientists from all over the world. Recently I had a chance to film volcano field work with actor Will Smith and explorer Erik Weihenmayer as part of National Geographic's awesome Welcome to Earth series.
My primary research focus (and passion) is the study of actively exploding or effusing volcanoes, where I take measurements of earthquakes, sound waves, ground deformation, thermal and gas flux, and fly drones around craters to make maps. As a specialist in field-based data collection I get to travel globally and work with scientists from all over the world. Recently I had a chance to film volcano field work with actor Will Smith and explorer Erik Weihenmayer as part of National Geographic's awesome Welcome to Earth series.
PROJECTS
PROJECTS
I currently manage a few exciting research projects, including one focused on snow avalanche monitoring, one on earthquake sounds, and three focused on active volcanoes, including one whose theme is science film-based storytelling. The storytelling project's objective is to portray volcano STEM in a culturally sensitive, non-sensationalistic manner, and to bring attention to the coolness of volcano geophysics. The inspiration to communicate science 'stems' from previous collaboration with documentary field efforts including those sponsored by BBC and PBS in Congo, Italy, Canada, Ecuador, and Guatemala.
I currently manage a few exciting research projects, including one focused on snow avalanche monitoring, one on earthquake sounds, and three focused on active volcanoes, including one whose theme is science film-based storytelling. The storytelling project's objective is to portray volcano STEM in a culturally sensitive, non-sensationalistic manner, and to bring attention to the coolness of volcano geophysics. The inspiration to communicate science 'stems' from previous collaboration with documentary field efforts including those sponsored by BBC and PBS in Congo, Italy, Canada, Ecuador, and Guatemala.
Volcano Drone Johnson 480.movSome drone footage collected on various field trips including: Stromboli, Italy (00:00), Santiaguitio, Guatemala (00:26), Reventador, Ecuador (01:08), Nyiragongo, Congo (01:32), Villarrica, Chile (02:21)
Villarrica Cable Deployment Trimmed.mov'Zipline' deployment of microphone over Villarrica's lava lake: BSU researchers Kate Bollen, Bryan Rosenblatt, and Jake Anderson at the helm
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
My scientific training includes B.S. and M.S. degrees from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Washington. Currently I am an associate professor of geophysics at Boise State University where I teach and manage a group of graduate and undergraduate researchers. They help me design and build sensors for volcanoes, install them in the field, and analyze data. Sporadic Instagram posts about volcano infrasound field research can be found @infravolc.
My scientific training includes B.S. and M.S. degrees from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Washington. Currently I am an associate professor of geophysics at Boise State University where I teach and manage a group of graduate and undergraduate researchers. They help me design and build sensors for volcanoes, install them in the field, and analyze data. Sporadic Instagram posts about volcano infrasound field research can be found @infravolc.
Select news items and stories:
Select news items and stories:
February, 2023) Constant Wonder BYU Radio, When Volcanoes Whisper
(June, 2022) Unpredictable and Dangerous; Congressional Hazards Caucus (presenter)
(June, 2022) Cities on Volcanoes 12 will go to Antigua Guatemala
(March, 2022) Boise State Public Radio; BSU professors record the Hunga Tonga eruption (featuring me and my student Zach Keskinen)
(November, 2021) Welcome to Earth Trailer with Will Smith (look to 00:10 s) and article
(Mar 3, 2020) Good Morning American Extraordinary Earth Masaya Volcano
(Jun. 13, 2018) Why this volcano in Ecuador sounds like its breathing, The Verge
(Jun. 12, 2018) Volcano music could help scientists monitor eruptions, American Geophysical Union
(Posted May 2, 2018) Santiaguito: The Laboratory Volcano, Vimeo Retroscope
(Jul. 18, 2017) Studying the World's Largest Lava Lake, Kuhl Blog
(Jul. 13, 2017) Boise State Vulcanologist Studies Lava Lake in Central Africa, Boise Public Radio
(Mar. 2, 2017) Sound Waves: The Symphony of Physics (Episode 1), BBC 4
CURRENT GROUP AT BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
CURRENT GROUP AT BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
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