08/21/2026
📡🌋 Did you feel an earthquake and check the USGS website for the location and magnitude? Have you taken a look at a tiltmeter to see how much Kīlauea’s summit has repressurized since the last eruption? Or, do you tune into one of the livestreaming cameras to view lava during fountaining episodes?
All of this information is available to the public in near real‑time, with just a few clicks.
From seismometers to tiltmeters, gas sensors, GPS stations, and we**ams, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s monitoring network allows anyone—keiki to kūpuna, enthusiasts to experts—to follow volcanic activity. Every hazard assessment, forecast, and research effort begins with instruments on the ground collecting data around the clock.
None of this would be possible without the dedicated team of field technicians, electronics specialists, and IT staff. They design and maintain the monitoring infrastructure, trek across challenging terrain to install instruments, and repair damage from storms, eruptions, and everyday wear. Their work ensures scientists and the community have the reliable data needed to stay safe and informed.
Next time you check an earthquake map, watch a summit we**am, or hear a scientist explain ongoing activity, take a moment to appreciate the people who keep the data flowing. Mahalo to our field engineers and IT staff.
Learn more: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-a-thank-you-letter-hvo-field-technicians
📷 : USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineers maintaining volcano monitoring instrumentation in various volcanic environments on the Island of Hawaiʻi.
