OR/15/032 myVolcano – A crowd-sourcing app for natural hazards

Mee K, Duncan M J. 2015. Increasing resilience to natural hazards through crowd-sourcing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. British Geological Survey Internal Report, OR/15/32.

During the eruptions of Eyafjallajökull and Grímsvötn volcanoes in 2010 and 2011, respectively, the British Geological Survey (BGS) asked the UK public to collect dust samples, which were analysed by microscope for the presence of ash and subsequently used to map the distribution of ash fallout in the UK (Stevenson, et al., 2012; 2013). These mapped distributions provided evidence of ash fall despite assertions from some that there was no ash (e.g. CEO Ryanair, see Daily Mail, 2011). The public, as potential airline passengers, were keen to contribute their own evidence to such a debate. In direct response to these experiences, the BGS, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, developed a free mobile phone application for gathering observations of volcanic hazards and instructing users on methods for collecting volcanic ash samples in the event of a future eruption (Figure 1).

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Figure 1 Images from the myVolcano smartphone app (top) and the web-based interactive crowd map (bottom). Observations can be submitted and viewed through either the app or the web map.

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Figure 2 Proposed methodology for assessing the potential of a citizen science app in any given country/region and steps for designing and implementing app use.

The app uses the device’s in-built GPS to accurately record the location of observations and photographs, which can be accurate to a few metres. Observations are then made visible to other users via an interactive map built into the app so others can view them. A full specification of myVolcano is listed in Appendix 3. The existing version of myVolcano (Version 1.3 at the time of writing) has a UK focus in that it is geared towards collection of distal ash and gas observations (i.e. the principal volcanic hazards that could affect the UK). However, the map interface has global coverage and the data collection methods (free-text descriptions and photographs) are such that information about any natural hazard could be captured.

Through a number of collaborative, international volcanology projects, opportunities have arisen to investigate using the app in different countries and hazard settings (e.g. in SVG and Colombia as part of the STREVA project — see Appendix 4). We have developed a methodology for guiding its development and implementation by the BGS but in collaboration with key partners and with their identified needs as the focus (Figure 2). A more detailed description of each of these steps is presented in Appendix 5. In order to test this methodology and inform our prototype, we have addressed each of these methodological steps (within the bounds of this project) in the context of SVG.