AVO Logo
Site Map | FAQ |
Alaska Volcano Observatory
Introduction | Operations | Response | Staff | Fields of Study
You are here: Home > About AVO > Staff

AVO Staff Directory

AVO is a very extended family. Some people work full time for the observatory, others well under half time. Others perform essential work, but only draw operating expenses. Several agencies contribute personnel at several locations. A wide variety of disciplines are represented, including geophysics, geology, glaciology, hydrology, geochemistry, remote sensing, computing, electronics, and administration. The following people are the paid staff, and share among themselves about 22 Full Time Equivalent positions.

[List staff by discipline] [List staff alphabetically] [List staff by office location]
* When listing staff by discipline, some individuals may be listed more than once.

AVO Staff Listing
Rick Wessels
Department: Alaska Volcano Observatory
Discipline(s):
send email message
Rick has been a Research Geophysicist for AVO at the USGS in Anchorage since 2003. His research focuses on understanding volcano and glacier dynamics using remote sensing as the main tool. His remote sensing work uses a wide range of high resolution satellite and airborne data in the visible, shortwave infrared, thermal infrared, and radar. Rick is also involved in NASA funded research studying Earth analogues of features on Mars.

Before joining AVO, Rick was at the USGS-Flagstaff office working as an Arizona State University Post-Doc on the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project.
[Show Publications]

Emplacement of the final lava dome of the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, 2013
Bull, K.F., Anderson, S.W., Diefenbach, A.K., Wessels, R.L., Henton, S.M., 2013, Emplacement of the final lava dome of the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 259, p. 334-348, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.06.014
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.06.014


High-resolution satellite and airborne thermal infrared imaging of precusory unrest and 2009 eruption at Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, 2013
Wessels, R.L., Vaughan, R.G., Patrick, M.R., and Coombs, M.L., 2013, High-resolution satellite and airborne thermal infrared imaging of precusory unrest and 2009 eruption at Redoubt Volcano, Alaska: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 259, p. 248-269, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.04.014
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.04.014
Download PDF full-text pdf : 6.55 MB


Photogrammetric monitoring of lava dome growth during the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, 2013
Diefenbach, A.K., Bull, K.F., Wessels, R.L., and McGimsey, R.G., 2013, Photogrammetric monitoring of lava dome growth during the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 259, p. 308-316, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2011.12.009
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2011.12.009
Download PDF full-text pdf : 2.7 MB


Remote observations of eruptive clouds and surface thermal activity during the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, 2013
Webley, P.W., Lopez, T.M., Ekstrand, A.L., Kean, K.G., Rinkleff, P., Dehn, J., Cahill, C.F., Wessels, R.L., Bailey, J.E., Izbekov, P., and Worden, A., 2013, Remote observations of eruptive clouds and surface thermal activity during the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 259, p. 185-200, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.06.023
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.06.023


Volcano-ice interactions precursory to the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, 2013
Bleick, H.A., Coombs, M.L., Cervelli, P.F., Bull, K.F., and Wessels, R.L., 2013, Volcano-ice interactions precursory to the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 259, p. 373-388, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.10.008
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.10.008
Download PDF full-text pdf : 4.6 MB


Timing, distribution, and volume of proximal products of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, 2010
Coombs, M.L., Bull, K.F., Vallance, J.W., Schneider, D.J., Thoms, E.E., Wessels, R.L., and McGimsey, R.G., 2010, Timing, distribution, and volume of proximal products of the 2006 Eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 8 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 145-185, 1 plate, scale 1:20,000, and GIS data [http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1769/chapters/p1769_chapter08].
Download PDF and GIS files for chapter on USGS website


High-resolution satellite and airborne thermal infrared imaging of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, 2010
Wessels, R.L., Coombs, M.L., Schneider, D.J., Dehn, Jonathan, and Ramsey, M.S., 2010, High-resolution satellite and airborne thermal infrared imaging of the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 22 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 527-552 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1769/chapters/p1769_chapter22.pdf].
Download PDF chapter PDF on USGS website


Emission of SO2, CO2, and H2S from Augustine Volcano, 2002-2008, 2010
McGee, K.A., Doukas, M.P., McGimsey, R.G., Neal, C.A., and Wessels, R.L., 2010, Emission of SO2, CO2, and H2S from Augustine Volcano, 2002-2008, chapter 26 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 609-627 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1769/chapters/p1769_chapter26.pdf].
Download PDF chapter PDF on USGS website


Eruption of Alaska volcano breaks historic pattern, 2009
citation imageLarsen, J., Neal, C., Webley, P., Freymueller, J., Haney, M., McNutt, S., Schneider, D., Prejean, S., Schaefer, J., and Wessels, R., 2009, Eruption of Alaska volcano breaks historic pattern: Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 90, n. 20, p. 173-174.


Atmospheric contribution of gas emissions from Augustine volcano, Alaska during the 2006 eruption, 2008
citation imageMcGee, K.A., Doukas, M.P., McGimsey, R.G., Neal, C.A., and Wessels, R.L., 2008, Atmospheric contribution of gas emissions from Augustine volcano, Alaska during the 2006 eruption: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 35, L03306, doi: 10.1029/2007GL032301, 5 p.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2007GL032301
Download PDF full-text PDF : 165 KB


Monitoring and modeling ice-rock avalanches from ice-capped volcanoes: a case study of frequent large avalanches on Iliamna Volcano, Alaska, 2007
citation imageHuggel, Christian, Caplan-Auerbach, Jacqueline, Waythomas, C.F., and Wessels, Rick, 2007, Monitoring and modeling ice-rock avalanches from ice-capped volcanoes: a case study of frequent large avalanches on Iliamna Volcano, Alaska: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 168, p. 114-136, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.08.009.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.08.009


Volcanic disruption of summit ice at Mount Spurr Volcano, Alaska, 2004-2007, 2007
Neal, C.A., Coombs, Michelle, Wessels, Rick, and McGimsey, R.G., 2007, Volcanic disruption of summit ice at Mount Spurr Volcano, Alaska, 2004-2007 [abs.]: Geological Society of America - Abstracts with Programs, v. 39, n. 4, p. 20.


Satellite measurement of glaciers on volcanoes in Alaska: building an inventory of ice extent and hazards, 2007
Wessels, Rick, Neal, C.A., Waythomas, Christopher, Huggel, Christian, and Dean, Ken, 2007, Satellite measurement of glaciers on volcanoes in Alaska: building an inventory of ice extent and hazards [abs.]: Geological Society of America - Abstracts with Programs, v. 39, n. 4, p. 20.


The role of remote sensing in monitoring of Augustine Volcano, 2006
Webley, Peter, Dean, Ken, Dehn, Jon, Bailey, John, Schneider, Dave, Wessels, Rick, Lovick, Joseph, Rinkleff, Peter, and Izbekov, Pavel, 2006, The role of remote sensing in monitoring of Augustine Volcano [abs.]: Geological Society of America - Abstracts with Programs, v. 38, n. 5, p. 28.


The reawakening of Alaska's Augustine Volcano, 2006
citation imagePower, J.A., Nye, C.J., Coombs, M.L., Wessels, R.L., Cervelli, P.F., Dehn, J., Wallace, K.L., Freymueller, J.T., and Doukas, M.P., 2006, The reawakening of Alaska's Augustine Volcano: Eos, v. 87, n. 37, p. 373, 377.


Geothermal disruption of summit glaciers at Mount Spurr Volcano, 2004-6: an unusual manifestation of volcanic unrest, 2006
citation imageCoombs, M.L., Neal, C.A., Wessels, R.L., and McGimsey, R.G., 2006, Geothermal disruption of summit glaciers at Mount Spurr Volcano, 2004-6: an unusual manifestation of volcanic unrest: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1732-B, 33 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1732/pp1732b/index.html .
Download website with link to full-text PDF


Headless debris flows from Mount Spurr volcano, Alaska, 2004
McGimsey, R., Neal, C., Waythomas, C., Wessels, R., Coombs, M., Wallace, K., 2004, Headless debris flows from Mount Spurr Volcano, Alaska [abs.]: Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 85, n. 47, Abstract V43B-1430.


Deciphering silicic dome emplacement processes in the northern Pacific: Quantitative analyses of high resolution satellite and field-based data, 2003
Ramsey, M.S., Dehn, J., Adleman, J.N., Larsen, J.F., McGimsey, R.G., Neal, C.A., and Wessels, R., 2003, Deciphering silicic dome emplacement processes in the northern Pacific: Quantitative analyses of high resolution satellite and field-based data [abs.]: in Fall meeting supplement, Eos, v. 84, n. 46, V51F-0346.
Download website with full text


URL: www.avo.alaska.edu/about/staff.php
Page modified: June 11, 2012 12:34
Contact Information: AVO Web Team

@alaska_avo
alaska.avo
Receive volcano updates by email: USGS VNS