Christopher G. Newhall
Encyclopedia
Christopher G. Newhall is a world renowned volcanologist
, formerly with the U.S. Geological Survey and since 2008 at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. He is the co-creator of the Volcanic explosivity index
and is considered among the worlds leading experts in volcanic prediction.
, Hanover (PhD 1980) under the supervision of the late Professor Richard Stoiber. He is since 1971 married to his wife Glenda, with whom he has two children. After retiring from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program after nearly three decades in 2006, he retreated with his wife to his home on the Philippines. In 2008 he moved to Nanyang Technological University
in Singapore to take on the position of senior volcanology group leader at the newly formed Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Volcanologist
A volcanologist is a person who studies the formation of volcanoes, and their current and historic eruptions. Volcanologists frequently visit volcanoes, especially active ones, to observe volcanic eruptions, collect eruptive products including tephra , rock and lava samples...
, formerly with the U.S. Geological Survey and since 2008 at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. He is the co-creator of the Volcanic explosivity index
Volcanic Explosivity Index
The Volcanic Explosivity Index was devised by Chris Newhall of the U.S. Geological Survey and Stephen Self at the University of Hawaii in 1982 to provide a relative measure of the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions....
and is considered among the worlds leading experts in volcanic prediction.
Life
A native Californian and son of an engineer, Newhall went to the Philippines in 1970 under the United States Peace Corps program. For his academic training, Newhall first attended the University of California-Davis (MS degree 1977) and later Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Hanover (PhD 1980) under the supervision of the late Professor Richard Stoiber. He is since 1971 married to his wife Glenda, with whom he has two children. After retiring from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program after nearly three decades in 2006, he retreated with his wife to his home on the Philippines. In 2008 he moved to Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
in Singapore to take on the position of senior volcanology group leader at the newly formed Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Publications
- Newhall, C. and Punongbayan, R., eds.Fire and Mud: Eruptions and Lahars of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines (1997) ISBN 0-295-97585-7 - a heavily cited collection of VolcanologyVolcanologyVolcanology is the study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena. The term volcanology is derived from the Latin word vulcan. Vulcan was the ancient Roman god of fire....
reference material - Benefits of volcano monitoring far outweigh costs - the case of Mount Pinatubo (1997)
- Natural hazards map of the Circum-Pacific region (1990)
- Historical unrest at large calderas of the world (1988)
- Semi-quantitative assessment of changing volcanic risk at Mount St. Helens, Washington (1984)
- A method for estimating intermediate and long-term risks from volcanic activity, with an example from Mount St. Helens, Washington (1982)