************************************************************ Volcanological field sites at active volcanoes in Guatemala ************************************************************ From: Bill Rose <raman@xxxxxxx> The presence of Peace Corps Master?s International students at two active volcanoes in Guatemala present unique opportunities for support of long-term field investigations. Guatemala has three volcanoes (Santiaguito, Fuego and Pacaya) which have been continuously active for many years, making the country a prime site for field studies of active volcanic processes. The country is making a strong effort to improve its volcanic monitoring and hazards effort, through its agencies INSIVUMEH and CONRED. In the past year two volcanology graduate students have been placed for two-year field assignments through the US Peace Corps at volcano observatories operated by INSIVUMEH at Fuego and Santiaguito. Both sites are located only a few hours drive from Guatemala City. On a limited budget, INSIVUMEH has been developing these field stations for direct data collection. There is substantial new help planned from international partners, including the USGS/VDAP and NOVAC. At present the field stations consist of small metal buildings with radio, telephones, electricity (no internet yet) and some meteorological and volcanological equipment, inhabited by Guatemalan observers and located near and in view of active vents. The Peace Corps students are doing community-based work for the Peace Corps and also research for their graduate study while helping to build infrastructure at the remote observatories. The presence of these students makes it possibly advantageous for volcanologists interested in field studies of active processes to consider these field sites for research visits. The students can facilitate field studies in which monitoring equipment or experiments must be left in place or attended periodically for long time periods. The most useful collaborative efforts are those that will help INSIVUMEH build ways of understanding how to detect, interpret and manage volcanic monitoring and hazard mitigation. In addition, the central issue of building capability and infrastructure at these field sites is paramount so we also seek non returnable donations of potentially useful field equipment (e.g., used laptop computers, printers, GPS, compasses, assorted software, cameras, etc). The two volcanologists onsite are John Lyons at the Fuego Volcano Observatory (OVFGO) in Panimache, 7 km SW of Fuego and Adam Blankenbicker at the Santiaguito Volcano Observatory (OVSAN) in El Faro, 6 km S of Santiaguito. They work with INSIVUMEH, its Director Eddy Sanchez and volcanologist Otoniel Matías (ormatiasg@xxxxxxxx). Daily reports of activity are on the web at http:// www.insivumeh.gob.gt and http://www.volcano.si.edu/ Because communications to the field stations are still cumbersome, discussions to help you plan field visits can be begun by speaking with Bill Rose at Michigan Tech who is in regular phone contact with the field teams (raman@xxxxxxx; 906 487 2367 For more information about Michigan Tech?s Peace Corps Master?s International program for natural hazard mitigation, please see: www.geohazards.mtu.edu Bill Rose Professor Michigan Technological University www.geo.mtu.edu/~raman 906 487 2367 ============================================================== To unsubscribe from the volcano list, send the message: signoff volcano to: listserv@xxxxxxx, or write to: volcano-request@xxxxxxxx To contribute to the volcano list, send your message to: volcano@xxxxxxxx Please do not send attachments. ==============================================================
