Global Volcanism Program

Global Volcanism Program
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Name	Global Volcanism Program
Formation	1968
Type	Research program
Location	Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Affiliations	Smithsonian Institution

Global Volcanism Program is a research initiative based at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., that documents volcanic activity worldwide and maintains a comprehensive database of eruption histories, volcanic centers, and related phenomena. The Program collaborates with institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Royal Society, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to provide standardized volcanic data and reports used by governments, academic centers, and emergency agencies.

Overview

The Project compiles eruption records, monitors volcanic unrest, and disseminates synthesis products to stakeholders including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the American Geophysical Union. Its database integrates entries for volcanoes from regions such as the Aleutian Islands, the Cascade Range, the Andean Volcanic Belt, the Japanese archipelago, the Indonesian archipelago, the East African Rift, and the Icelandic Rift Zone, linking entries with historic events like the 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, and the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

History and Development

The initiative traces its institutional roots to collections at the Smithsonian Institution and collaborations with the United States Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during the Cold War era, when aerial reconnaissance of volcanic ash hazards intersected with aviation safety concerns involving the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Influential figures and institutions in its development include curators from the National Museum of Natural History, researchers associated with Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Tokyo, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and scientists who published in venues such as the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, Nature, Science (journal), and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Major milestones include digitization efforts tied to projects funded by the National Science Foundation and partnerships with the European Commission and the World Bank for hazard mitigation initiatives.

Mission and Activities

The Program’s stated purpose encompasses cataloguing eruptive histories, producing volcanic activity notices, and supporting risk assessment used by agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Civil Aviation Authority offices, and municipal authorities in regions such as Cameroon, Ecuador, Philippines, Iceland, Indonesia, and Japan. Core activities interface with global monitoring systems operated by entities including the International Civil Aviation Organization, World Meteorological Organization, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, and regional observatories like the Alaska Volcano Observatory, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Icelandic Meteorological Office, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and the Southern Andes Volcano Observatory. Outreach and training efforts have engaged universities and institutes such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, Seoul National University, and the Australian National University.

Data Collection and Publications

The Program maintains a searchable catalog of Holocene volcanoes and eruption records used in assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and in hazard maps produced with partners including the United States Geological Survey and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Its publications include annual summaries, eruption reports, and specialized bulletins that reference case studies like Mount Pelée, Novarupta, Eyjafjallajökull, Soufrière Hills, Santa María, Chaitén, Fogo, and La Soufrière. Data acquisition sources span field observations from teams affiliated with University of Hawaii at Mānoa, satellite remote sensing from Landsat program, MODIS, and Copernicus Sentinel missions, geochemical analyses published in journals such as Geology (journal) and Earth and Planetary Science Letters, and archival materials from institutions like the British Geological Survey and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Impact and Applications

Outputs from the Program inform aviation advisories issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization and regional air traffic authorities, climate forcing studies cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and disaster response planning by organizations including United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, World Bank, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and national bodies like the Civil Defence in Iceland and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Its eruption chronology database has been used in scholarly work by researchers at California Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research to study links between eruptions and climate perturbations, and to support hazard maps and risk models applied in urban areas such as Guatemala City, Quito, Reykjavík, Seattle, and Tokyo.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The Program operates within the Smithsonian Institution framework and coordinates with federal partners including the United States Geological Survey and agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Governance involves curatorial staff from the National Museum of Natural History, scientists linked to universities like University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Bristol, and advisory interactions with international bodies such as the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Funding streams have included grants from the National Science Foundation, cooperative agreements with the United States Geological Survey, contributions from philanthropic foundations like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and partnerships with multilateral organizations including the World Bank and the European Commission.

Category:Volcanology