In 1977, after the eruption outside the "Enclos Fouque" which partially destroyed the village of Piton Sainte Rose, the local authorities, the civil protection, the conseil départemental de La Réunion, and the CNRS decided to build a volcanological observatory and gave its management to the Institut de physique du globe de Paris. The observatory was operational at the end of 1979. The observatory is located in the Plaine des Cafres, 15 km far from the summit of the volcano.
The three missions of the volcanological and seismological observatory of Piton de la Fournaise are 1) volcano monitoring, 2) research and 3) communication, dissemination and teaching.
The main mission of the volcanological and seismological observatories of IPGP is to collect geological, geophysical and geochemical data over long periods of time, to allow the systematic elaboration of long-term multi-parameters databases available to the scientific community, and to inform the authorities in charge of civil protection of any increase in the activity of the volcanoes and after periods of felt earthquakes.
The real-time observations and research can contribute to the prevention, and mitigation of seismic and volcanic risks. The main research themes covered by the scientists are general volcanology, geology, seismology, ground deformation and geodesy, thermal flux, volcanic fluid geochemistry (gases, thermal springs), using a combination of field data from monitoring networks and repetition surveys as well as remote-sensing techniques.
The three missions of the volcanological and seismological observatory of Piton de la Fournaise are 1) volcano monitoring, 2) research and 3) communication, dissemination and teaching.
The main mission of the volcanological and seismological observatories of IPGP is to collect geological, geophysical and geochemical data over long periods of time, to allow the systematic elaboration of long-term multi-parameters databases available to the scientific community, and to inform the authorities in charge of civil protection of any increase in the activity of the volcanoes and after periods of felt earthquakes.
The real-time observations and research can contribute to the prevention, and mitigation of seismic and volcanic risks. The main research themes covered by the scientists are general volcanology, geology, seismology, ground deformation and geodesy, thermal flux, volcanic fluid geochemistry (gases, thermal springs), using a combination of field data from monitoring networks and repetition surveys as well as remote-sensing techniques.