Project Chief
USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory 1300 SE Cardinal Court, Building 10, Suite 100 Vancouver, Washington 98683 Phone: (360) 993-8925 e-mail: lgmastin@usgs.gov Project DescriptionIn active volcanic areas, groundwater can affect intrusive and eruptive activity by influencing cooling rates, modifying the strength of rocks in the volcanic edifice, and converting thermal energy of magma to explosive mechanical energy. One of the greatest hazards posed by groundwater exists when it is heated by magma and violently released, as eruptions of either pure steam or steam mixed with fragmented magma or country rock. The objective of this project is to identify the conditions under which groundwater in volcanoes poses a potential hazard. To accomplish this, the following methods are employed:
Project Highlights
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