Kaboom! Volcano Hazards Mitigation as Government Information

Preparation for an imminent volcanic eruption relies on strategic communication between experts and the general public, ongoing scientific research and monitoring, and government assistance. Should one falter, lives are at stake at the most critical moment, whether it involves inescapable pyroclastic flows or perhaps plane engine shutdown from volcanic ash. Throughout history, legislative concerns surrounding volcano hazards have been built around the notion of proactiveness, yet financial and resource support oftentimes reflect a tendency towards reactiveness. The following document examines the legislative evolution of volcano hazards mitigation that has extended its reach well into 2020. In addition, an overview of the United States Geological Survey’s Volcano Hazards will be followed by an evaluation of government databases for finding historic and current volcanic data and information.

Special Issue on Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program

The Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program (2014–2018) carried out comprehensive research to mitigate disasters related to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The program selected multidisciplinary research in which earth scientists who study the processes of earthquake generation and volcanic eruptions, historians, archaeologists, human and social scientists, and engineers were all involved. The program aimed to collect pre-instrumental and pre-historical earthquake and volcanic data to understand earthquake and volcano disasters, to find risk evaluation techniques, and to evaluate disaster response and preparedness. Active collaborations between researchers from different science fields inspired new ideas and have driven various research in the program. New findings from the program have also created international collaborations and recognitions. Most of the results and new findings in the program have already been published in various internationally recognized journals and have greatly influenced scientific communities. We believe that it is important to compile our findings from the last five years of the program and to publish the essence of our findings and published papers in this special issue. We hope that this special issue will be of value to researchers who are interested in multidisciplinary studies of mitigation of disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and related phenomena.

General Research Group for the Nankai Trough Great Earthquake

The objective of the General Research Group for the Nankai Trough Great Earthquake is to obtain a cross-sectional view of research on the Nankai Trough Great Earthquake, conducted by the various working groups of the Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program, and to thereby promote the Program’s research in a comprehensive manner. In this paper, we report on workshops held during a five-year period (2014–2018), and summarize the findings of the five-year plan following the Research Group’s scheme. We also discuss issues that surfaced during these activities.

Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program: An Overview

The Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Observation and Research Program was from Japanese fiscal year 2014 to 2018. This national program succeeded the Research Program for Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Prediction (2009–2013). However, mainly because of the disaster caused by the 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, known as the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, the basic policy of the program changed drastically. It changed from research for predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to comprehensive research for mitigating disasters on the basis of scientific results related to the mechanisms of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and their forecasts. The program was planned to be multidisciplinary in nature. In addition to Earth scientists working to get a scientific understanding of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, historians, archaeologists, human and social scientists, and engineers took part in the program aimed at collecting pre-instrumental earthquake and volcanic data, understanding earthquake and volcano disasters, risk evaluation, and research into disaster response and preparedness. In this article, we review the basic concept of the 2014–2018 program and its main achievements. In the end, we summarize the problems left for future studies.

Data from Past Eruptions Could Reduce Future Volcano Hazards

Optimizing the Use of Volcano Monitoring Database to Anticipate Unrest; Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 26–29 November 2018

Facilitating Field-Scale Experiments in Volcano Hazards

Multidisciplinary Volcano Hazards Experiments at the Geohazards Field Station; Amherst and Springville, New York, 24–27 July 2018