Smithsonian's Nature of Science: Expedition to Arctic Volcanoes

Join geologist Dr. Elizabeth Cottrell as she explores the active volcanoes of Alaska's Western Aleutian Islands, searching for evidence of how the continents formed. Her mission is to gather samples of volcanic glass that may have bits of magma trapped inside them. The trip is somewhat risky – a remote, three-week journey by ship and helicopter – but she and her team are committed to gathering scientific evidence from these rarely visited Arctic volcanoes.

Related Resources

• Video: Volcano Geochemistry – Windows to Earth's Interior with Geologist Elizabeth Cottrell
• Video: What Is Volcanic Ash, Anyway?
• Science Literacy Article: When Volcanoes Erupt
• Subject Guide: Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics