Each broadcast is one hour long and devotes about half an hour to the geology of Hawaii. The broadcasts are sent via satellite to special PINS, or Primary Interactive Network Sites, around the United States, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom. The staff of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will participate in each of the 60 hours of live broadcasts.
Different scientists demonstrate different volcano monitoring techniques in each hour of production.
In this way, we can continue all of our monitoring programs during production and can emphasize the range of work we do. The first show is done before daybreak and features the use of an infrared video camera from a helicopter to look at the distribution of active lava flows and the locations of lava tubes within the flow field. U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Jim Kauahikaua does an overflight each morning and narrates the video. On a typical day, Dr. Kauahikaua provides commentary on overnight changes in lava flow activity and the activity in the lava pond inside the Pu'u 'O'o cone during the first three shows. Dr. Kauahikaua uses the infrared video to develop detailed maps of the underground tube systems in the flow field and to map the extent of new surface flows each day.