Geologist studies South Pacific volcano that’s been erupting continuously for hundreds of years

For two weeks last fall, Ingrid Ukstins lived life on the wild and dangerous side. The University of Iowa volcanologist spent her days collecting samples from a volcano on Tanna, an island in the remote South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu. The volcano, called Yasur, spews out flaming masses or “bombs”—some the size of a small car.