Following the eruptions of Vulcan and Tavurvur in 1937, Dr C.E. Stehn and Dr W.G. Woolnough recommended establishment of an observatory in Rabaul. Norman Fisher, the Territory government geologist who was sent to assist them, remained in Rabaul to continue the investigation, publishing a key report in 1939 in the first issue of the Territory of New Guinea's, Geological Bulletin. An observatory was designed by Dr Fisher and built under his supervision in 1940 at its present site on Observatory Ridge, SW from the north Daughter. Dr Fisher was appointed first Director of the Observatory, assisted by Clem Knight. During the Japanese occupation, 1942-1945, the RVO was shut down. A Japanese volcanologist, Dr T. Kizawa, established a new observatory at Sulphur Creek, including seismographic measurements, which was eventually destroyed by Allied bombing. By 1950 the RVO was re-established on Observatory Ridge. The disastrous eruption of Mt Lamington in 1951 prompted wider volcanological operations across the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. In 1975 the operation of the RVO was transferred to the new nation of Papua New Guinea. In 1994 eruptions of Tavurvur and Vulcan destroyed much of Rabaul Town and most of the RVO's monitoring systems. Key monitoring equipment was restored under a grant from the US Government. In 1996 the Australian Government began a major investment program by to upgrade the national PNG volcanological service. The Observatory is responsible for monitoring the activity of the 14 active and 23 dormant volcanoes spread along three volcanic arcs throughout Papua New Guinea and which have produced more than 140 eruptions in the last 200 years. Monitoring is carried out at RVO, 6 "outstation" observatories (Manam, Karkar, Langila, Ulawun, Esa'ala, and Lamington volcanoes) and an unmanned telemetered station (Lamington). In addition to volcano monitoring, the functions of the Rabaul Volcano Observatory include: geologic reconnaissance and tephrastratigraphic studies (e.g. at Rabaul, Loloru, Hargy and Witori), volcanic hazard assessments (e.g. Rabaul, Manam, Karkar, Langila, Ulawun, Balbi, Bagana, Loloru, Lamington, Victory), assistance in the preparation and revision of volcano emergency plans (e.g. Rabaul, Manam, Ulawun), and applied research on the pattern of activity of the monitored volcanoes with a view to the detection of eruption precursors and provision of warnings.
From the description of Rapaul Volcanological Observatory monthly reports, 1937-2007 [microform]. 1937-2007. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 271861014
