· Volcanoes are inherently complex and continually changing, which makes prediction challenging. The best observational data may not reveal when and how a volcano will erupt. But as an eruption draws near, our chances of predicting an event grow, because signs of activity become more numerous and obvious. Volcanologists have stated that eventually perhaps half of eruptions may be successfully forecasted. However, volcanoes are also known to erupt with ‘little-to-no’ warning from our current monitoring systems. This situation may reflect the difficulty of seeing deep into volcanic systems that transfer material from depth to the surface very quickly.
o Part of the reason for this unpredictability is due to the fact that volcanoes can be ‘pushed’ towards an eruption or even forced to erupt due to a very large variety of volcanic ‘triggers’.
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| Augustine Volcano in Alaska in prone to landslides, one of the many volcanic triggering mechanisms |
