ABSTRACT In 2014–2015, a slow-moving pāhoehoe lava flow from the remote Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent on Kīlauea Volcano advanced 20 km into populated areas of the Puna District on the Island of Hawai‘i. The staff of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) mobilized their resources to closely monitor the flow and provide up-to-date information to the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense (HCCD) agency, the public, and the news media. Scientists issued formal USGS notifications about the flow and Kīlauea’s two eruptions, prepared maps and annotated photographs, infrared images, and videos for dissemination online, and wrote weekly “Volcano Watch” articles for local newspapers. They also provided regular briefings for federal, state, and county agency representatives, answered questions during near-daily briefings with local and national media, and offered information through an established lecture series and participation in community emergency preparedness fairs. Noteworthy among the communication activities was a series of public meetings organized by the Hawai‘i County mayor’s office and led by the HCCD administrator. The meetings were a regular forum for many HVO scientists to talk directly and frequently with residents, business owners, elected officials, and other stakeholders about their concerns, the evolving status of the eruptions, and the uncertain prognosis of the flow’s advance and extent. The dialogue was essential for HVO staff to describe their observations and insights about the lava flow’s behavior and to gain credibility with the community during the crisis. This experience suggests that personal engagement with people at risk from future lava flows in Hawai‘i and elsewhere in the world will remain a crucial part of an eruption response, even with greater capability to disseminate warnings and information digitally via the Internet.

Abstract Four main depositories of Archibald Geikie material exist in the UK.

Abstract The British Geological Survey (BGS) petrology collections contain almost 1500 Scottish rock samples (with thin sections) deposited by Archibald Geikie, including BGSS1, an analcime gabbro from Salisbury Crags, Edinburgh. High-quality thin section images are now available from the BGS’s Britrocks online database. The geospatial distribution of these samples is analysed. They reflect the development of geological mapping and igneous petrology in Scotland from the 1850s to the 1890s. Geikie had the opportunity to study Nicol’s original thin sections in 1851 and he met both Sorby and Zirkel, early pioneers of petrography. Lacking management support, he cut many of his own thin sections while mapping the Clyde Plateau lavas during the 1860s, leading to publications on Carboniferous and Tertiary volcanism. When appointed Director of the newly formed Geological Survey of Scotland in 1867, he was able to establish a petrological laboratory in Edinburgh. Time pressures resulting from his subsequent promotion to Director-General, and increasing quantities of metamorphic rocks, then necessitated the appointment of Hatch and Teall as petrographers for the Survey. Teall’s work was particularly important in the detailed petrography of the gneisses and mylonites associated with the Highlands Controversy. Supplementary material: The rock samples deposited in the Survey collections by Archibald Geikie are listed on a spreadsheet, which will be updated when more slides are imaged or if URLs change. The spreadsheet is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4360664 .

ABSTRACT Much attention has been paid to what students and the general public should know about geoscience content through discipline literacy documents (cf. Geoscience Literacies, 2017), but there is little effort to teach about the identity and life of scientists, especially female geoscientists. The stereotypical view of a scientist being an older white male in a laboratory begins in the second grade, with adults viewing scientists’ personalities as robotic, potentially dangerous, and not necessarily a group that can be trusted (Rutjens and Heine, 2016). Social media can provide a platform to reach audiences that range in age, geographic location, and formal/informal settings. The use of selfies and hashtags on social networking services such as Twitter and Instagram can educate others in what scientists do and what scientists are like. Online campaigns such as #ActualLivingScientist and the Earth Science Women’s Network’s #dayofscience are examples of ways to generate conversation and build community in breaking the scientist stereotype. Whether a campaign is one month in length, as the National Science Foundation’s #NSFstories during Women’s History Month, or a year-long daily snapshot into the life of scientists during #365scienceselfies, the images and stories of female scientists become available to a global audience, especially to teen girls and young women who are more likely to use these visual social media platforms. Existing hashtags will continue and new social media campaigns will emerge with time, but to fully educate others about the lives of female geoscientists, we need to diversify our scientist participation on social media and post honest, unfiltered information about the ups and downs of being a scientist in this discipline.

Abstract In this study, earthquake rupture models for future mega-thrust earthquakes in the Nankai–Tonankai subduction zone are developed by incorporating the main characteristics of inverted source models of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. These scenario ruptures also account for key features of the national tsunami source model for the Nankai–Tonankai earthquake by the Central Disaster Management Council of the Japanese Government. The source models capture a wide range of realistic slip distributions and kinematic rupture processes, reflecting the current best understanding of what may happen due to a future mega-earthquake in the Nankai–Tonankai Trough, and therefore are useful for conducting probabilistic tsunami hazard and risk analysis. A large suite of scenario rupture models is then used to investigate the variability of tsunami effects in coastal areas, such as offshore tsunami wave heights and onshore inundation depths, due to realistic variations in source characteristics. Such investigations are particularly valuable for tsunami hazard mapping and evacuation planning in municipalities along the Nankai–Tonankai coast.

Abstract Radon ( 222 Rn) has been highlighted by a number of authors as a significant public health concern. For example, it is the second most significant cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking ( c. 1000–2000 and 21 000 deaths per year in the UK and USA, respectively), yet a very high proportion of the general public appears to be unaware of the risk. This chapter deals with topical radon issues, such as: radon in the workplace; radon in homes; exposure to radon during leisure activities; radon and water; measurement and monitoring; seasonal correction; remediation; cancer risks; cost–benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness; mapping; future policies; and further research. This assessment of the state of radon research is focused on the UK as an example of a country where radon has been on the governmental agenda since the late 1970s, but also highlights radon issues throughout the world in, for example, the USA, Europe and Asia.

Abstract Snow albedo is an important climate parameter as it governs the amount of solar energy absorbed by the snow and can be considered a major contributor to the surface radiation budget. The present study deals with the estimation of temporal variation of snow albedo at the upper elevation zone of glaciated Mago Basin of Arunachal Pradesh in eastern Himalaya. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Daily Snow Products (MOD10A1 and MYD10A1) at 500 m spatial resolution were used. Both the MODIS data for ten years (2003–13) and the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area were downloaded from NASA DAAC of NSIDC. The percentage area under different snow types (dry snow, wet snow, firn and ice) was determined by masking the upper elevation zone of the DEM into the albedo images. The average monthly slopes show a decreasing trend in area (%) of dry snow and wet snow and an increasing trend for firn and ice. Dry snow and wet snow cover percentages were observed to be decreasing, whereas firn and ice cover showed an increasing trend for most of the months. Firn dominated the type of snow, followed by ice then wet snow; the smallest area (%) was that of dry snow for the study period.

Abstract Determining the significance of caves is challenging due to a lack of consensus on which parameters to consider and their relative importance, in addition to difficulties in applying the parameters in a repeatable way. However, classifying caves by levels of significance is unequivocally important because it allows the prioritization of caves for future environmental protection. In countries where the subsurface belongs to the government, such as Brazil, the decision process is coordinated at the government level and a comprehensive approach balancing environmental protection and economic/social interests should be applied. Brazil has the most comprehensive set of criteria for assessing the significance of caves, encompassing parameters applied in other countries. A sample of 401 Brazilian caves in limestone and iron-rich rocks was analysed statistically to infer the relative frequency of each criterion in assigning significance to caves. The analysis included 70 parameters; 30 were present in caves, but on average less than five of these parameters occurred together at each cave. Subjective parameters tended to be less represented. Biotic parameters were dominant and both abiotic and biotic parameters displayed a correlation with length and area, suggesting that these parameters could be good indicators of cave significance. Applying the set of criteria proposed by the Brazilian government to our sample, there was no marked difference between caves in different rock types. A better approach to defining cave relevance is required, with an emphasis on science-based parameters.