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Researchers are examining what drove a series of dramatic lava fountains in Hawaii, noting that before the fountaining began, the ground had been expanding by roughly half a meter per day. The unusual deformation pattern is helping volcanologists better understand the subsurface magma dynamics behind the eruptions. The findings could improve forecasting of future volcanic activity in Hawaii, where monitoring ground deformation is a key tool for predicting eruptions and assessing hazards to nearby communities.