Departmental Seminar - Janine Kavanagh - Volcanic Plumbing Systems Exposed

12:00pm - 1:00pm / Friday 9th October 2015
Type: Seminar / Category: Department
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All volcanic eruptions are fed by magma that is transported from great depth to the surface via a network of fractures. In order to help understand how and why volcanoes erupt, and to help interpret their precursory signals, we need to study the dynamics of volcanic plumbing system development and evolution. Due to their very nature, volcanic plumbing systems are hidden from view. We therefore need to rely on methods which can monitor surface changes that are associated with magma flow, or directly track the movement of magma beneath the surface. Field geology of ancient exposed volcanic plumbing systems can provide important additional insights into magma ascent processes, and analogue models have proved to be an important complementary tool to help inform and interpret geophysical and field-based evidence. I will present the results from a series of layered gelatine analogue experiments where we create a model volcanic plumbing system of dykes and sills in the laboratory. The experiments are analysed by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to document the fluid flow and small-scale host-rock deformation processes that occur during dyke and sill emplacement. This work has important implications for interpreting surface and sub-surface signals associated with magma flow beneath active volcanoes.