Understandingthesciencewasonlypartoftheteam’smission.TheyalsowantedtosharetheirdatawithpeoplewholivednearSantaMaria.Morethan1.9millionpeoplelivewithin

10kilometers(6.2miles)oftheactivelavadomes.Ifthereisalargeeruption,alotofpeopleareinharm’s way.

Whilemosteruptionsaresmall,largeeruptionscanbedangerous.Thelavadomesproducealargevolumeofashandvolcanicrock.Whenrain watermixeswiththem,itformsamuddyliquidthatflowsdownthevolcano.It’scalleda“lahar.”Becauseoftheamountofashthedomesproduceandtheamountofrainfallinthisregion,thelaharscanbeverydangerous.Theycandestroywhole towns.

Anotherdangerispyroclasticflows.Theyarescorchingcloudsofgas,ash,androck.Theysweepacrossalandscapelikeastrongwind.Theymovewithsuchspeedyoucan’toutrunthem.Pyroclasticflowscanwipeouteverythingintheir path.

Thelocalpeoplehavemythsandstoriesaboutthelavadomes.Buttheteamwantedtosharetheirscientificfindings.So,theycreatedamuseumexhibit.Theyheldtalkstoshareinformationaboutthedomes.Theywantedtocorrectanymisconceptionspeoplemight have.

Peoplefinallyunderstoodthesciencebehindtheirunrulyneighbor.Ideasforwarningsystemsandotherpreventativemeasuresthen followed.

Theteamstillhasalotofworktodo.Itwilltaketimetoanalyzethephotographs.Theyhopetoseepatternsthatmightrevealhowthevolcanoanditslavadomesactandwhatchangesmaycomeinthe future.