For decades, topographic mapping has played a crucial role in monitoring volcanic activity, enabling scientists to track changes in landscape and anticipate lava flow paths during eruptions. Lidar technology has emerged as the go-to tool for this task, and now the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is equipped with its own lidar system, allowing for more frequent and detailed mapping than ever before, writes HVO geologist/GIS specialist Mike Zoeller in Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.
High-end Lidar systems are complex and costly, so topographic surveys on the Island of Hawaiʻi were often limited by funding and collaborations. That changed with the passage of the 2019 Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, which provided funds for HVO to acquire a RIEGL VUX-120 airborne Lidar system following Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption.
The system arrived in November 2022, but it required a custom helicopter mount and integration with control systems. With help from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s SDAV Lab and CRREL, the setup was completed by August 2023.
In September, after successful tests, HVO conducted its first Lidar survey, capturing high-density data of the June 2024 KÄ«lauea Southwest Rift Zone eruption. While HVO still relies on photographic surveys for rapid-response mapping, the VUX-120 allows for detailed, high-accuracy data when time permits. This is the only helicopter-mounted Lidar system operated by USGS, presenting opportunities for broader applications in hazard assessments and research.
Read Mike Zoeller’s full story here
