Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EAVESDROP (Experimental access to volcanic eruptions: Driving Observational Potential)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
Earth is a volcanic planet. Earth´s interior, surface and near-surface processes are impacted continually by the ongoing presence of volcanic eruptions in the Earth System. Beginning with the relatively shallow (yet inaccessible) violent processes of explosive volcanic eruption and ending with the massive and multiple short-term stresses (chemical, physical, thermal, and biological) generated by the presence of eruptive products (including volcanic ash) in the Earth System; the activity of explosive volcanic systems is a key to the evolution of our world. For this reason - as well as the many pragmatic consequences of active volcanism - understanding the processes and mechanisms responsible for explosive volcanism and its impact on the Earth System is a growing grand challenge of modern Earth Sciences. The challenge is answered here by the latest novel experimental developments.
Based on 1) recent advances in our mechanistic view of magma ascent and eruption, 2) the recent advances in experimental technologies and 3) the great potential impact of their findings, three high priority areas have been selected as broad overarching objectives. It is important to point out that the studies planned here are largely in situ in nature. They will be performed and observed under actual eruptive and emplacement conditions:
Objective 1: Develop the first fully experimentally-validated models of flow and degassing of multiphase magmas.
Objective 2: Explore experimentally the new field of accessing the origins of repetitive elements of eruption via mapping the failure and recovery of magma and their attendant implications for volcanic unrest, cyclicity and eruption forecasting.
Objective 3: Understand the physico-chemical dynamics of pyroclast-volatile interactions and their impact on the interactions of volcanic ash and gas in the Earth system.
Direct experimental access to volcanic processes will drive progress in the interpretation of volcanic observations (EAVESDROP).
Based on 1) recent advances in our mechanistic view of magma ascent and eruption, 2) the recent advances in experimental technologies and 3) the great potential impact of their findings, three high priority areas have been selected as broad overarching objectives. It is important to point out that the studies planned here are largely in situ in nature. They will be performed and observed under actual eruptive and emplacement conditions:
Objective 1: Develop the first fully experimentally-validated models of flow and degassing of multiphase magmas.
Objective 2: Explore experimentally the new field of accessing the origins of repetitive elements of eruption via mapping the failure and recovery of magma and their attendant implications for volcanic unrest, cyclicity and eruption forecasting.
Objective 3: Understand the physico-chemical dynamics of pyroclast-volatile interactions and their impact on the interactions of volcanic ash and gas in the Earth system.
Direct experimental access to volcanic processes will drive progress in the interpretation of volcanic observations (EAVESDROP).
The project has supported a series of activities aimed at the initial objectives of the project, namely
1) Develop the first fully experimentally-based models of flow and degassing of multiphase volcanic magmas.
Major thrusts of the work are in the direction of the development of our understanding of the formation, stability and consequences of the presence of the microlitic and nanolitic crystalline "events" in the evolution of pre-erupted, erupting and post-eruptive magmas and lavas. The late stage degassing of such systems with and without the presence of crystalline generations in these magmas has been extensively experimentally constrained and models developed. The flow of erupting systems has also been extensively investigated and recent eruptions at Hawaii, Iceland and La Palma have been studied experimentally to constrain the evolution of flow during eruption and its possible impact on cessation of eruption and synchrotron-based imaging experiments have been developed. Two major reviews on suspension flow and melt flow respectively have been published.
2 Discover the origins of repetitive elements of eruption via mapping the failure and recovery of magma and their attendant implications for volcanic unrest, cyclicity and eruption forecasting.
Here the major achievements have largely concentrated on the characterisation of fragmented and welded volcanic products of magma-water eruptions, the volatile contents and textures of such products, the influence of vent geometry, and the development of models for the complex processes of silicic volcanism. Two reviews have been contributed, on fragmentation and sintering of magmas.
3) Understand the physico-chemical dynamics of pyroclast-volatile interactions and their impact on the interactions of volcanic ash and gas in the Earth system.
Here the major achievements of the project reach into four major areas of the impact of volcanic ash in the earth system: the influence of volcanic ash on the nucleation of ice in the atmosphere, the impact of volcanic ash on turbine thermal barrier coatings, the control of volcanic emissions on atmospheric CO2 levels over 10s of millions of years, and high temperature SO2 and CO2 ash-gas reactions.
The project has also enabled the development of major advances in our understanding of several related material science themes including: rare earth element geochemistry, platinum group element aggregation, carbonate glass synthesis characterisation, and volcanic rock as a substrate for pre-biotic chemistry.
1) Develop the first fully experimentally-based models of flow and degassing of multiphase volcanic magmas.
Major thrusts of the work are in the direction of the development of our understanding of the formation, stability and consequences of the presence of the microlitic and nanolitic crystalline "events" in the evolution of pre-erupted, erupting and post-eruptive magmas and lavas. The late stage degassing of such systems with and without the presence of crystalline generations in these magmas has been extensively experimentally constrained and models developed. The flow of erupting systems has also been extensively investigated and recent eruptions at Hawaii, Iceland and La Palma have been studied experimentally to constrain the evolution of flow during eruption and its possible impact on cessation of eruption and synchrotron-based imaging experiments have been developed. Two major reviews on suspension flow and melt flow respectively have been published.
2 Discover the origins of repetitive elements of eruption via mapping the failure and recovery of magma and their attendant implications for volcanic unrest, cyclicity and eruption forecasting.
Here the major achievements have largely concentrated on the characterisation of fragmented and welded volcanic products of magma-water eruptions, the volatile contents and textures of such products, the influence of vent geometry, and the development of models for the complex processes of silicic volcanism. Two reviews have been contributed, on fragmentation and sintering of magmas.
3) Understand the physico-chemical dynamics of pyroclast-volatile interactions and their impact on the interactions of volcanic ash and gas in the Earth system.
Here the major achievements of the project reach into four major areas of the impact of volcanic ash in the earth system: the influence of volcanic ash on the nucleation of ice in the atmosphere, the impact of volcanic ash on turbine thermal barrier coatings, the control of volcanic emissions on atmospheric CO2 levels over 10s of millions of years, and high temperature SO2 and CO2 ash-gas reactions.
The project has also enabled the development of major advances in our understanding of several related material science themes including: rare earth element geochemistry, platinum group element aggregation, carbonate glass synthesis characterisation, and volcanic rock as a substrate for pre-biotic chemistry.