Using Google Maps to Access USGS Volcano Hazards
Information
Dina Y Venezky 1, Seth
Snedigar 2, Marianne Guffanti 3, John E
Bailey 4, Brita Graham Wall 1
1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS
910, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States
2Alaska Volcano Observatory, DGGS, 3354 College Road, Fairbanks,
AK 99709, United States
3U.S. Geological Survey, 926-A National Center, Reston, VA 20192,
United States
4Arctic Region Supercomputing Center, 909 Koyukuk Dr, University
of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, United States
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazard Program (VHP) is revising the information architecture of our website to provide data within a geospatial context for emergency managers, educators, landowners in volcanic areas, researchers, and the general public. Using a map-based interface for displaying hazard information provides a synoptic view of volcanic activity along with the ability to quickly ascertain where hazards are in relation to major population and infrastructure centers. At the same time, the map interface provides a gateway for educators and the public to find information about volcanoes in their geographic context. A plethora of data visualization solutions are available that are flexible, customizable, and can be run on individual websites. We are currently using a Google map interface because it can be accessed immediately from a website (a downloadable viewer is not required), and it provides simple features for moving around and zooming within the large map area that encompasses U.S. volcanism. A text interface will also be available.
The new VHP website will serve as a portal to information for each volcano the USGS monitors with icons for alert levels and aviation color codes. When a volcano is clicked, a window will provide additional information including links to maps, images, and real-time data, thereby connecting information from individual observatories, the Smithsonian Institution, and our partner universities. In addition to the VHP home page, many observatories and partners have detailed graphical interfaces to data and images that include the activity pages for the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the Smithsonian Google Earth files, and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory pictures and data. Users with varied requests such as raw data, scientific papers, images, or brief overviews expect to be able to quickly access information for their specialized needs. Over the next few years we will be gathering, cleansing, reorganizing, and posting data in multiple formats to meet these needs.