Best Volcanology

Bernard Chouet is a Swiss-American seismologist who worked with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He is best known for his research on volcanic seismicity, specifically his discovery that long-period (LP) seismic events are reliable precursors to explosive volcanic eruptions. His methodolo...

David A. Johnston (1949–1980) was an American volcanologist with the United States Geological Survey. On May 18, 1980, he was monitoring Mount St. Helens from the Coldwater II observation post when the volcano erupted. Johnston's final radio transmission—'Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!'—became on...

Robert L. Christiansen is an American volcanologist and geologist who worked extensively with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He is best known for his detailed field mapping and research in the 1960s and 1970s, which helped define the massive volcanic caldera system beneath Yellowstone N...

Peter W. Lipman is an American volcanologist who spent his career with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). His research focused on explosive silicic volcanism, caldera formation, and large-volume ignimbrite eruptions, with particular emphasis on the San Juan volcanic field in Colorado. Lipma...

Thomas Alfred Jaggar was an American volcanologist who founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912, establishing the first permanent facility dedicated to the continuous study of active volcanism. Motivated by the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée in Martinique, he conducted fieldwork globally befor...

Christian Leopold von Buch (1774–1853) was a German geologist who helped establish geology as a formal scientific discipline. He studied under Abraham Gottlob Werner and conducted extensive fieldwork across Europe, making early observations of volcanic islands and mountain formations. Von Buch is kn...

Sir Archibald Geikie (1835–1924) was a prominent Scottish geologist who significantly advanced the study of geomorphology and volcanic geology. He served as the director-general of the Geological Survey of Great Britain and Ireland and was a professor at the University of Edinburgh. Geikie formulate...

R. Stephen J. Sparks is a UK-based geologist specializing in modern volcanology, igneous petrology, and sedimentology. His work significantly advanced mathematical modeling techniques applied to volcanic eruptions and sediment gravity flows. This research provides valuable insights for scientists st...

Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729–1799) was an prominent Italian Catholic priest, biologist, and naturalist who made significant contributions to multiple scientific disciplines during the 18th century. In the field of geology and early volcanology, he conducted extensive field studies of Italian volcanoes,...

George Poulett Scrope (1797-1876) was a British geologist and political economist who made significant contributions to the field of volcanology. His geological work focused on the study of volcanoes, and his 1825 publication 'Considerations on Volcanos' was among the first systematic attempts to cl...

Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1791-1803) was a French geologist who significantly advanced our understanding of sedimentary rock formations. His detailed observations and classification of dolomite—a carbonate rock—established a foundational element in mineralogy and volcanology. De Dolomieu’s work rem...

Ian Carmichael (1930–2006) was a prominent British-American petrologist who spent his academic career at the University of California, Berkeley. He made foundational contributions to igneous petrology, specifically by applying thermodynamic principles to understand the behavior of silicate melts and...

Michael Manga is an American geoscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, recognized for his interdisciplinary approach to geophysics. His research connects fluid mechanics to volcanology, hydrology, and planetary science to understand how fluids move and shape planetary bodies. Manga has...

Frank Alvord Perret was an American inventor and volcanologist who pioneered the use of instruments to observe and measure active volcanic eruptions. In the early 1900s, he conducted extensive observations of Italy's Mount Vesuvius, documenting eruptive behavior with scientific instruments. He later...

George P. L. Walker was a prominent geologist specializing in igneous petrology and volcanology. His work focused on developing facies models for understanding explosive volcanic events using quantitative physical analysis. He significantly advanced the field's methodology, particularly within the U...

Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond was a French geologist and naturalist whose work contributed to the early scientific study of volcanoes. During the eighteenth century, he examined basalt and volcanic landscapes, including formations in the Auvergne region of France, and argued for their volcanic ori...

Haroun Tazieff was a Polish-born French volcanologist and geologist renowned for his extensive field research on active volcanoes. He gained public recognition through his documentary films and books, which captured dramatic footage of volcanic eruptions around the world. Throughout his career, he s...

Alexander McBirney was an American volcanologist and geologist affiliated with the University of Oregon. He conducted extensive research on igneous petrology, magmatic differentiation, and the formation of volcanic arcs. McBirney was widely recognized for his detailed field studies of the Skaergaard...

Thomas Jaggar was an American volcanologist who significantly advanced the systematic study of active volcanoes. Following the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée, he became dedicated to establishing observatories to monitor volcanic activity and predict eruptions. In 1912, Jaggar founded the Hawaiian Volc...

Israel Cook Russell was an American geologist who explored the Pleistocene glaciation of North America and extensively mapped the geology of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Marine geologist Dragoslav Ninkovich of Columbia University advanced the study of deep-sea sediment cores, notably identifying and dating global volcanic ash layers and tektites in the 1960s.

Albrecht W. Hofmann is a prominent German geochemist recognized for his extensive research on the chemical evolution and dynamics of the Earth's mantle. He has utilized isotope geochemistry to trace mantle convection and the differentiation of planetary materials over geological time. His work has s...

Scipione Breislak was an 18th-century Italian geologist who pioneered the study of volcanoes and published the first comprehensive geology of Italy in 1811.

Christina Heliker is an American volcanologist with the USGS known for her extensive research monitoring the eruptive activity and hazards of Hawaiian volcanoes.

Susan Kieffer is an American geologist and geophysicist recognized for her research in fluid dynamics across various geological and planetary processes. She is known for her foundational work on the thermodynamics and mechanics of geysers, volcanic eruptions, and meteorite impacts. Kieffer notably m...

Claude Jaupart is a French geophysicist recognized for his fundamental research on volcanic systems and heat transfer. His work focuses on understanding the physical processes that drive magma movement and thermal dynamics within the Earth's crust. He has published extensively on the mechanics of vo...

Katia Krafft was a French volcanologist and photographer who specialized in documenting active and dangerous volcanoes. Alongside her husband, Maurice, she captured extensive photography and film footage of volcanic eruptions, significantly improving public understanding of geological hazards. The c...

Maurice Krafft was a French volcanologist who conducted foundational research on volcanic eruptions and their associated hazards. Collaborating closely with his wife, Katia, he traveled globally to document active volcanoes through photography, film, and detailed scientific observation. His research...

David A. Johnston was an American volcanologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He was killed during the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, while manning an observation post about six miles from the volcano. Johnston was the first to report the eruption, famo...