[3] AVO was formed in 1988, and uses federal, state, and university resources to monitor and study Alaska's volcanology, hazardous volcanoes, to predict and record eruptive activity, and to mitigate volcanic hazards to life and property.

The Observatory website allows users to monitor active volcanoes, with seismographs and webcameras that update regularly.

AVO now monitors more than 20 volcanoes in Cook Inlet, which is close to Alaskan population centers, and the Aleutian Arc due to the hazard that plumes of ash pose to aviation.

While the majority of these volcanoes are in remote locations and would only pose a threat to aviation, there are a few in some areas that could have an impact on populated communities.

[9] The following list shows select volcanoes monitored by AVO but currently do not have activity detection instruments and generally rely on satellite and local observations.