Seismicity beneath Kīlauea ‘s Southwest Rift Zone

Researchers are examining seismic activity within Kīlauea ‘s rift zones to understand the connection between the caldera and the rift zones to provide a better framework for interpreting seismicity around the volcano.

Untangling the subduction history of western North America

Subducted lithosphere can be imaged below our feet using a technique called seismic tomography. By combining this subsurface imaging method with surface geology scientists can learn about the timing and extent of oceanic subduction and how and when continents collided.

Yellowstone Super-Volcano Eruptions were Produced by Gigantic Ancient Oceanic Plate

Scientists have long thought that Yellowstone Caldera is powered by heat from the Earth’s core. New research by Virginia Tech seismologist Ying Zhou suggests that Yellowstone volcanoes were produced by a gigantic ancient oceanic plate that dove under the Western United States about 30 million years ago.