"Century-Long Importance of Tilt Measurements in Volcano Monitoring"

Tilt measurements have been crucial for monitoring and understanding volcano behavior for over a century. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has been collecting tilt data since the early 1900s, initially using seismometers and later developing water tube tiltmeters and electronic tiltmeters. Continuous records of tilt have revealed cycles of inflation and deflation between eruptions, providing insights into magma chamber activity. Recent tilt records at Kīlauea's summit resemble those from the 1950s-1970s, indicating similarities in the volcano's behavior before the 2018 eruption. This historical data helps scientists make forecasts and test hypotheses about future volcanic activity.