Public Outreach
Cooperative Public Education Projects
One of CSAV's primary missions is to educate the public about the hazards resulting from volcanic eruptions. The Coop grant allows us to do this through seminars, displays, exhibits, and visits to community and school groups. Pictured here is the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Open House held in January 2003. At this event, CSAV set up a display, titled "Where's the Lava Going to Go," which included demonstrations with model volcanoes: one with baking soda-and-vinegar eruptions for the youngsters, and a plastic raised-relief model of the Big Island for everyone. Molasses "lava flows" were placed at various locations on the rift zones of the Big Island's active volcanoes for the latter model, demonstrating how topography influences the path a lava flow will take. Most visitors were interested in the status of Mauna Loa, and discussions revolved around USGS maps showing lava flow ages, as well as new computer-based developments at HVO for deducing the path a lava flow would take based on its point of origin on the rift zone.
David
Carvalho demonstrates the influence of gravity on a "lava" flow.