Understandingthesciencewasonlypartoftheteam’smission.Theyalsowantedtosharetheirdata—notjustwiththescientificcommunity—butwiththepeoplewholivedintheshadowofSanta María.

Morethan1.9 millionpeoplelivewithin10 kilometers(6.2 miles)oftheactivelavadomes.Ifthereisamassiveeruption,that’salotofpeoplelivinginharm’s way.

Whilemostoftheeruptionsaresmall,twodangersoccurwithsomefrequency:laharsandpyroclastic flows.

Thelavadomesproducealargevolumeofashandvolcanicrock.Whenwateroricemixeswiththese,itformsamuddyliquidthatflowsdownthevolcano.Ittypicallyfollowsrivervalleys.Therearethreetypes.“Dirtywater”happenswhenriverlevelsdon’trise,butwaterisdiscoloredbyash.“Currents”arepulsesofash‑richwaterthatflowalongtherivers.“Lahars”arecurrentsofasoupy,ash‑richmixtureflowingdownriver valleys.

Laharsareamajorhazardasthisregiongetsalotofrain.Themixtureofwater,ash,andvolcanicmattercanrushdownrivervalleysanddestroywhole towns.

Anotherdangerispyroclasticflows.Theyarescorchingcloudsofgas,ash,androck.Theyflowlikeliquiddownthevolcano.Theymoveoverthegroundwithsuchspeedyoucan’toutrun them.

Manylocalpeoplehavegrownupwithmythsaboutthevolcanicsystem.Theteamcreatedamuseumexhibitandheldtalkstodeliverscientificinformationandcorrect misconceptions.

Peoplebegantoseewheresomeoftheirmythscamefromastheylearnedthesciencebehindtheirunrulyneighbor.Tothem,thelavadomesarefullofculturalsignificance.Armedwithnewknowledge,thepeoplecanworktowarddevelopingwarningsystemsandothersafety measures.

Theteamstillhasalotofworktodo.Analyzingalloftheirdatamaytakealongtime.Alreadytheteamcan“see”activitythattheyweren’tabletocatchjustbylooking.Itistheirhopetodiscoverpatternsthatrevealhowthevolcanoanditslavadomesactandwhatchangesmaycomeinthe future.