Volcanoes of the World - Global Volcanism Program

The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP) is housed in the Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, in Washington D.C. We are devoted to a better understanding of Earth's active volcanoes and their eruptions during the last 10,000 years.

The mission of GVP is to document, understand, and disseminate information about global volcanic activity. We do this through four core functions: reporting, archiving, research, and outreach. The data systems that lie at our core have been in development since 1968 when GVP began documenting the eruptive histories of volcanoes.

Reporting. GVP is unique in its documentation of current and past activity for all volcanoes on the planet active during the last 10,000 years. During the early stages of an eruption anywhere in the world we act as a clearinghouse of reports, data, and imagery. Reports are released in two formats. The Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report provides timely information vetted by GVP staff about current eruptions. The Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network provides comprehensive reporting on recent eruptions on a longer time horizon to allow incorporation of peer-reviewed literature and observatory reports.

Archiving. Complementing our effort toward reporting of current eruptive activity is our database of volcanoes and eruptions that documents the last 10,000 years of Earth's volcanism. These databases and interpretations based on them were published in three editions of the book "Volcanoes of the World".

Research. GVP researchers are curators in the Department of Mineral Sciences and maintain active research programs on volcanic products, processes, and the deep Earth that is the ultimate source of volcanism.

Outreach. This website presents more than 7,000 reports on volcanic activity, provides access to the baseline data and eruptive histories of Holocene volcanoes, and makes available other resources to our international partners, scientists, civil-authorities, and the public.

The Global Volcanism Program relies on an international network of collaborating individuals, programs and organizations, many of which are listed below:

United States Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program (USA). The Volcano Hazards Program monitors active and potentially active volcanoes, assesses their hazards, responds to volcanic crises, and conducts research on volcanoes. The Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) (with the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance) works to reduce fatalities and economic losses in countries experiencing a volcano emergency.

Global Volcano Model (Bristol University and the British Geological Survey, UK). GVM is a growing international network that aims to create a sustainable, accessible information platform on volcanic hazard and risk.

WOVOdat (Earth Observatory of Singapore). A collective record of volcano monitoring, worldwide - brought to you by the WOVO (World Organization of Volcano Observatories).

Integrated Earth Data Applications (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, USA). A community-based data facility to support, sustain, and advance the geosciences by providing data services for observational solid earth data from the Ocean, Earth, and Polar Sciences.

VHub (The State University of New York at Buffalo, USA). An online resource for collaboration in volcanology research and risk mitigation.

International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI). IAVCEI represents the primary international focus for: (1) research in volcanology, (2) efforts to mitigate volcanic disasters, and (3) research into closely related disciplines, such as igneous geochemistry and petrology, geochronology, volcanogenic mineral deposits, and the physics of the generation and ascent of magmas in the upper mantle and crust. IAVCEI has charged GVP with providing the official names and unique identifier numbers for the world's volcanoes.

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers tasked with monitoring Volcanic Ash plumes within their assigned airspace.