Quantifying hazard and risk assessments at active volcanoes

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Abstract
Mass‐waste events from volcanic edifice collapse constitute one of the world's most catastrophic natural hazards. To date, hazards associated with collapse have generally been considered evenly dispersed about a volcano. However, these events are often referred to as sector collapses because only part of a volcano's summit and flank collapse. This is because volcanoes do not have uniform geology or geotechnical characteristics and, thus, their hazard distributions are also non‐uniform. To assess the non‐uniform distribution of geologic controls on volcano stability, we have developed a method that combines field‐based geologic mapping and sampling with mineralogic, petrologic, stable‐isotope geochemical, and geotechnical laboratory studies. Our results provide methods that help quantify the non‐uniform stability of stratovolcanoes and significantly improve volcanic hazard and risk assessments.