Seminar on Weather radar analysis

On December 17-18, 2020, a seminar on weather radar analysis was held at Tohoku University by Prof. Oishi (Research Center for Urban Safety and Security, Kobe University). He carefully explained the principle of remote sensing of weather radar applied to the observation of volcanic eruptions in recent years. Analysis training was also conducted to estimate the particle size distribution using rainfall data.

Special training with EOS

Special training for volcanology research was conducted in October 2019 and November 2020 with the Nanyang Technological University Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), located in Singapore.

EOS is a research and educational institution with outstanding achievements in volcano observation and research in Southeast Asia, and many graduate students and post-doctoral researchers are affiliated with the institution. They are also advancing volcanology research from the social science fields.

Special training for volcanology research is a required subject for the advanced course, newly established in FY2019. The course entails listening to lectures relating to cutting-edge research being conducted by researchers from Japan and overseas, and students present their own research and hone their research implementation skills.

The special training for volcanology research, which was first held in 2019, was entitled the "First Japan-Singapore Volcanology Ph.D. Symposium" and took place on October 14^th (Mon.) and 15^th (Tue.), 2019, at EOS. There were 15 participants in total, with nine students and four faculty members from Japan, and the rest comprising faculty members and graduate students/post-docs from EOS. Oral presentations and poster presentations were given by the students over two days, where they introduced their latest research and discussed research issues and directions through lively question and answer sessions. Furthermore, the EOS research facilities and laboratories were toured, and students were able to compare the facilities and research activities of overseas universities with those in Japan.

The second special training for volcanology research, held in 2020, was entitled the "2^nd Japan-EOS Graduate Volcano Workshop," in which seven students from Japan and eight students from EOS gave oral presentations. Many affiliated members such as faculty also participated. The workshop was held virtually due to COVID-19. However, this served as a meaningful opportunity for students to present their latest research and consider their research issues and directions through lively question and answer sessions.

Geodesy seminar at GSI

A volcanology seminar on Geodesy was held at the Geospatial Information Authority (GSI, Tsukuba) on November 12-13. Dr. Hatanaka, Dr. Munekane, Dr. Morishita, and Mr. Furuya explained the principles and methods of GNSS and InSAR, which are used for monitoring volcanic activity, through a curriculum to experience actual analysis methods. After the seminar, we were guided to the monitoring center and the observation facilities in GSI.

Field study at Izu-Oshima (drone)

From September 30^th to October 2^nd, 2020, Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd. provided field studies that mainly implemented the Next Generation Volcano Research task number D1, "Development of real-time determination methods of volcanic disasters using unmanned aerial vehicles (e.g., drones)." Three students and one faculty member participated in the field study held at Izu Oshima, where they learned about observation system / data acquisition methods and the fundamentals of video data processing for volcano topography surveying using drones. Through the field study, the students were able to learn the series of processes involved in performing drone observations using the latest technologies and creating three-dimensional models from the photographs taken. Furthermore, they also participated in geological excursions of the island where they observed fissure vents and volcanic ejecta due to the 1986 eruption.

Certification ceremony in 2020

A certification ceremony and orientation for 16 students in the fundamental course and 4 students in the advanced course were held on April 18, 2020 (online).

ACV at Taipei and Tatun

Seven students participated in the Asian Consortium of Volcanology as part of overseas special training. The Consortium was held from October 28^th to November 2^nd at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Excursions to the Tatun Volcano Group took place during the sessions, wherein observations of volcanic topography and outcrops, and a tour of the volcano monitoring station and the Taiwan Volcano Observatory (TVO) was given.

Special training at EOS

On October 14th and 15th, 2019, special training on volcanology research was held at the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Nine students from the program and EOS students both gave oral and poster presentations of their research.

Field study at Stromboli in 2019

In collaboration with the University of Florence in Italy and Clermont Auvergne University in France, the International School of Volcanology was held in Stromboli, Italy, where the overseas training / overseas special training for 2019 was conducted. The five participating students and three faculty members flew from Haneda Airport on Thursday, June 14^th, 2019, and conducted approximately 10 days of field study in Italy. The training included lectures on the geology and eruption history of Mt. Stromboli, recent eruptive activity, and the 2002 tsunami that damaged the city of Stromboli, as well as volcanic observation and monitoring systems of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The group also climbed to the summit of Mt. Stromboli, where they conducted seismic/infrasound observations and volcanic gas composition/thermal observations as well as data analysis. In addition, with a social science researcher, the groups were split into volcanology and government sides and conducted a role play based on the simulated data. The students thought about using the analysis results of the volcano observation data for disaster information.

Certification ceremony in 2019

A certification ceremony and orientation for 20 students in the fundamental course and 13 students in the advanced course were held at the Aoba Science Hall, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University.

ACV at Yogyakarta, Indonesia

One student participated in the 2018 Training Camp of the Asian Consortium of Volcanology. The event was held from November 19th to 22nd in Yogyakarta, a large city located at the foot of Merapi volcano in Indonesia. During the camp, an excursion to the Merapi volcanic area was carried out, and we observed the volcanic topography and outcrops and visited the volcano observatory.

Agreement with CIRVULC

On September 4, 2018, The Interuniversity Center for Research in Volcanology (CIRVULC) and this consortium signed an agreement at Cities on Volcanoes 10 Meeting, Napoli for promoting the development of next-generation volcanologists 

Field study at North Sumatra, Indonesia

A field study was held in North Sumatra, Indonesia from July 9th to 14th, 2018. With the cooperation of the Asian Consortium of Volcanology (ACV), the SATREPS project "Integrated Study on Mitigation of Multimodal Disasters Caused by Ejection of Volcanic Products", and the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation in Indonesia (CVGHM). Practical training was conducted at Toba Caldera and Mt. Sinabung.

Field study at Stromboli in 2018

A Field study was held at Stromboli volcano from June 7th to 16th, 2018. With the cooperation of the University of Florence and others, practical training and lectures on earthquakes, infrasound, heat, and volcanic gas observations were held at the volcano that spouts lava at intervals of minutes to tens of minutes.

Certification ceremony in 2018

A certification ceremony and orientation for 22 students were held at the Aoba Science Hall, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University.

Field study at Stromboli in 2017

From June 21st to 30th, 2017, 6 students and 3 staff members participated in a field study at Stromboli volcano, Italy. With the cooperation of the University of Florence, we have installed seismometers and microphones near the summit crater. Also, we observed repetitive Strombolian eruptions that spectacularly spout bright red lava.

Program Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony of this program was held at Aoba Science Hall, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University. We welcomed 36 students, and after greetings from Prof. Hanawa, Executive Director Hanawa of Tohoku University, and Specially Appointed Prof. Nishide, the former Secretary of the Japan Meteorological Agency, and awarding a certificate, there was a greeting from the student representative, Ms. Taguchi (Nagoya University). In addition, a commemorative lecture on "Volcanic Eruption and Climate" was given by Prof. Hayasaka, the Dean of the Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University.