New Research Publication Explores Montserrat’s First Seismo-Volcanological Observatory
A new peer-reviewed research article titled “The first seismo-volcanological observatory on Montserrat” has been published in the international journal Volcanica. The paper is authored by David Pyle (University of Oxford) with co-authors Martin Mahony (UEA), Jenni Barclay (University of Bristol), Bridie V. Davies (University of Oxford), Karen Pascal (MVO, UWI SRC), Thiffanie Williams (MVO), Erouscilla P. Joseph (UWI SRC), and Jazmin P. Scarlett (Environment Agency, Bristol, UK).
Drawing on archival records and historical sources, the study reconstructs Montserrat’s early volcano monitoring efforts during the 1930s period of seismic unrest. It documents how earthquakes, gas emissions, and atmospheric conditions were systematically observed and recorded at a time when instrumental monitoring in the Caribbean was still in its infancy.
The research highlights the contributions of Greta Scotland, the island’s first female member of the seismo-volcanic monitoring team, and situates Montserrat within the wider history of volcanological science.
The publication forms part of the Curating Crises project and was developed in collaboration with the Montserrat National Trust (MNT), the Montserrat Public Library (MPL), and The UK National Archives. The project examines how volcanic crises have been documented, archived, and interpreted over time, combining scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives.
Importantly, the paper draws parallels between these early monitoring efforts and modern long-term observations of the Soufrière Hills Volcano. In doing so, it underscores Montserrat’s enduring contribution to global volcanology and highlights the continuity between historical observation practices and contemporary scientific monitoring at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.
The featured historic image accompanying the publication was originally taken by local photographer CEE Browne and later circulated as a postcard. It depicts the Grove Botanical Station in Plymouth — the site where Montserrat’s first seismo-volcanological observatory was established during the 1930s unrest.
The full paper is available through Volcanica at: https://www.jvolcanica.org/ojs/index.php/volcanica/article/view/323
