Volcanologists in the field

Locko shows a somewhat worried Roby the high activity of the volcano.

This pluviometer collects ash erupted by the volcano and washed to the ground by rain.

From destroyed buildings at Blackburne Airport Locko and Roby observe the volcano.

The team observe the ash cloud drifting towards the ghost town of Plymouth.

Tappy digs a deep hole into the thick layer of ash where we will place the wideband seismometer of the MULTIMO project.

Strong hands are a must for volcanologists just as much as are smart minds...

The wideband seismometer is in place: since it records waves in three dimensions it must be precisely aligned to the North.

It alsomust be placed deeply, making Locko's work hard. He aligns the seimometer vertically by pressing ash around it.

Now that the seismometer is fixed in its final position it can be connected to the power source.

An array of pressimeters will register the pressure waves in the air.

Cables and even more cables will connect the pressimeters to power source and data collectors.

Using GPS Locko determines the exact position of each pressimeter along the array.

Below a burning tropical sun a volcanologist protects the acoustic sensors with covers able to transmit pressure waves.

A test pressure wave is used to check if all acoustic sensors are working properly.

Sometimes field work is great fun: Shadowing the computer screen from the bright tropical light.

A cloud passes in front of the sun, letting us observe the first seismic waves.

A geologist checks the activity of the volcano.

Volcanologists discuss the activity at the new Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

A volcanologist checks the volcano by binoculars from Jack Boy Hill.

One of the last analog seismometers at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.