In late February we traveled south to Nicaragua to help a team of volcanologists gather data around Masaya Volcano near the city of Masaya, about a half hour outside of Managua. We measured changes in gravity, magnetism and temperature around the volcano. Volcanologists use this data to construct a model of the magma chamber inside the volcano. The model is useful for testing theories of eruption dynamics and environmental impact. Masaya Volcano is constantly emitting gases but not lava allowing for relatively safe study. After a week at Masaya, we went to Honduras to visit Mayan ruins at Copan and the tropical rainforest area between Pico Bonito and the Caribbean Sea near La Ceiba. Here we explored the flora and fauna in the foothills along the coast.
