Aerial view of the massive debris avalanche on the northwest side of Mt. Shasta. All the hummocks are building-sized blocks of Mt. Shasta. This huge prehistoric sector collapse is one of the largest landslides known on Earth and dramatically illustrates one of the main hazards around stratovolcanoes.
"Vog" (volcanic smog) from Pu'u O'o volcano, 1995. The ongoing eruption of Kilauea's east rift zone has put a huge amount of natural pollutants, including oxides of sulfur, into the Hawaiian atmosphere. Across much of Hawaii introduced plant species have taken hold, but downwind of Kilauea only native species, tolerant of the natural acid rain, survive. Foreground cliffs are fault scarps that are forming as the southern slopes of the big island slide toward the ocean. Catastrophic failure of this slope would bring tsunamis far larger than any in recorded history to the islands and circum-Pacific region.
Town of Oia, perched above the caldera of Santorini, Greece. The caldera formed during the massive eruption of ~1600 B.C. Most of the island was destroyed, leaving only the spectacular caldera rim above sea level.
The town of Fira, Santorini, showing the blue-domed churches and whitewashed walls so characteristic of Cycladic architecture. Fira is also perched on the caldera rim. Both towns are at great risk from the earthquakes that shake the region periodically.
The excavation at Akrotiri, Santorini. The town was buried by the pyroclastic flow, but no bodies were found, indicating that the inhabitants had enough warning of the eruption to evacuate. Here, cross-bedded pyroclastic flows overlie intricate masonry of the town.
