ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It is unfortunately impractical for me to acknowledge by name everyone who has helped me complete this thesis. However, there are some people who I simply must single out for special thanks. I would like to thank those who got me as far as Caltech, especially my mother, sister, and father. I also thank my ex-housemates (Don, Bryan, Bob, Stuart, Rich and Lydia, Dave, Jeremy, and Blair) and my officemates (Steve and Rich) for both the good times and the lessons in the vagaries of life. And Nicole who has been a friend from Hawai'i to Germany and all points between. I must also take this time to thank those without whom this thesis simply never would have happened. I will forever thank my advisor, Bruce Murray for insisting that I go to Hawai'i to see some real lava. And I will also be in perpetual debt to all the staff of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the USGS Volunteer Program. Without their help, experience, and equipment, I would not have been able to accomplish even 10 % of the research in this thesis. I am especially grateful Jim, Maggie, Tari, and Christina. Without their guidance I would now either be a very dumb volcanologist or a very dead volcanologist. "Thank you " just doesn't say enough