What Lurks Beneath: Integrating the physical and chemical signals of magma ascent for enhanced volcanic eruption forecasting

Description

More than one in ten people around the world live and work close enough to a volcano to be significantly impacted by an eruption, and rapid and reliable decision making in the lead up to and during a volcanic crisis is crucial to mitigate hazards and risk. Limited understanding of the architecture of volcanic plumbing systems and the pathways that magma takes through the crust towards eruption means that there is still much uncertainty about whether or not there will be an eruption, where this eruption will be, and how long it will last.

This PhD project will use a multidisciplinary approach to integrate analogue experiments and petrological modelling with geodetic observations. The project will use the 2021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption in La Palma, Canary Islands as a case study. It The geophysical data suggest it took just one day for a dyke to transport magma from a shallow magma reservoir to the surface. This conduit fed an eruption that lasted 85 days, forced the evacuation of 7000 people and cost 843 million euros of damage. The geodetic modelling shows the eruption was preceded by magma moving from a reservoir at 10-15 km depth towards the surface, forming a sill at 5-6 km depth just one week before the eruption. The crystal phases evidence magma stalling at much greater depths. Integrating the physical and chemical signals of magma ascent is required to unravel the complexity of magma ascent and improve eruption forecasting.

AIMS

The overall aim of this PhD project is to develop new models of magma intrusion in the crust that can be used to forecast the start and end of a volcanic eruption. By working closely with volcano observatories in the Canary Islands and the USA you will develop the practical applications of analogue experiments, igneous petrology and geodesy for volcanic eruption forecasting efforts around the world.

The project has three research aims:

1.      Identify how the mechanical properties, heterogeneities and topographic variations of the crust affect the surface signals of magma movement, because these directly affect the interpretation of how deep the magma is and how the eruption dynamics are connected to deep physical processes.

2.      Understand how the crystal cargo within the magma and erupted lava record the dynamic processes and timescales of magma ascent, because they witness the dynamic conditions within the subsurface and record processes at a scale which cannot be resolved with geophysical techniques. 

3.      Test our physical and chemical models of magma movement against the geodetic signals recorded in the lead up to and during volcanic eruptions, so that these models can be used to improve forecasting of future eruptions and their end.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES & METHODS

The project plan is organised to meet three independent objectives:

1)     Use state-of-the-art analogue experiments to conduct a comprehensive exploration of the geometry, kinematics and host deformation associated with dyke intrusions within a layered crustal medium with topographic variations.

2)     Complete a detailed petrographic and geochemical analysis of selected erupted volcanic and intrusive magmatic deposits from La Palma, Canary Islands and relate them to physical processes of magma ascent.   

3)     Work with volcano observatories in the USA and Canary Islands to integrate experimental and petrologic models and use them to inform the interpretation of geodetic datasets.

Analogue modelling will be conducted in the Liverpool MAGMA Lab, using state-of-the-art equipment operating in the Medusa Laser Imaging Facility. Petrological research will be conducted in association with the University of Liverpool’s Scanning Electron Microscopy Shared Research Facility (SEM SRF), with the potential to visit other universities to use additional facilities. Fieldwork for the project will be conducted on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, supported by collaborators at IPNA-CSIC, Tenerife. The project also includes a placement with the USGS at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, USA where you will work with experts and assist in the deployment of volcano monitoring equipment.

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT & TRAINING

You will become a member of the postgraduate research community in the Department of Earth, Ocean & Ecological Sciences at the University of Liverpool and join the Liverpool Volcanology Group. Bespoke training will be provided in analogue modelling, igneous petrology and geodetic data modelling as required.

We want all our Staff and Students to feel that Liverpool is an inclusive and welcoming environment that actively celebrates and encourages diversity. We are committed to working with students to make all reasonable project adaptations including supporting those with caring responsibilities, disabilities or other personal circumstances. For example, if you have a disability you may be entitled to a Disabled Students Allowance on top of your studentship to help cover the costs of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result.

We believe everyone deserves an excellent education and encourage students from all backgrounds and personal circumstances to apply.

Further Information & Eligibility:

A BSc, MSci, MSc or equivalent degree specializing in earth sciences is required (e.g. geology, geophysics, physical geography or environmental geoscience). Previous field experience is required and laboratory experience, petrological and numeracy/computing skills are desirable. Candidates from underrepresented groups and candidates who have followed a non-traditional education path are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Please use your covering letter to highlight your motivation for PhD studies and for the project, highlighting your relevant skills and experience for the role. Your covering letter, along with your CV, will be used to assess your application and invitation to interview.

Supervisors:

Prof. Janine Kavanagh - Janine.kavanagh@liverpool.ac.uk

Dr. Katy Chamberlain - K.J.Chamberlain@liverpool.ac.uk

Dr. Pablo Gonzalez - pabloj.gonzalez@csic.es

Dr. Michael Poland - mpoland@usgs.gov