Physics of Volcanoes
Exploring the physics of volcanic eruptions is a fairly new field compared to mapping and analyzing the deposits of past volcanic eruptions. The pure observation and description of volcanic processes can be traced back to Pliny the Younger. He observed the eruption of Vesuvius (Italy) that destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum 79 AD.
Physical volcanology deals on the one hand with the development of new measuring methods and the construction of measuring networks, on the other hand with the analysis and interpretation of the acquired measurement data. For data analysis, new methods are developed and physical relationships and processes are researched. To verify the data interpretation, computer simulations (so-called numerical models) and experiments in the laboratory (so-called analog models) are performed.
The goal of physical volcanology is to identify one or more physical parameters that can be monitored at each volcano in real time and allow the prediction of eruptions. For this, the physical system "volcano" must be described and characterized exactly.
Ground Deformation near Chiles-Cerro Negro volcanoes, Colombian-Ecuadorian border
A. Vasquez Castillo (2019)
The movements registered on the surface of volcanic zones reflect the dynamics of fluids moving underground, such as magma, gas or water, or also the movements of the earth’s crust according to the structural configuration (faults) of the region. Measuring the deformation that the ground experiences as a result of these processes allows us to infer how the volcano behaves in its interior and understand its dynamics. These observations, together with other volcanological monitoring techniques, allow us to identify patterns associated with possible eruptions and thereby increase the knowledge of volcanic hazards for the closest civilian population.
The purpose of my master’s thesis is the analysis of ground deformation in the Chiles-Cerro Negro volcanic complex (CVCCN), on the Colombian-Ecuadorian border, understanding that the deformation patterns can provide information about the dynamics of the magmatic material. The development of the research is based on the use of geodetic instruments: Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar - InSAR -, GPS and tiltmeter.
The effect of pulsing of volcanic eruptions on eruption column height
K. Grunert (2019)
The correlation between the erupted mass and the height of the eruption column has been studied for quite some time. However, a recent study found, that the pulsing of an eruption also has an influence on column height and that certain types of pulsing behaviour can create higher eruption columns than non-pulsed eruptions even if the erupted mass is equal or even less. I am looking deeper into this matter, doing some parameter studies with PDAC (Pyroclastic Dispersal Analysis Code) and then trying to find a physical explanation for the phenomenon.
Time series classification using recurrent neural networks (RNN) in a volcanological context
P. Werdenbach-Jarklowski (2019)
Being an active volcano erupting quite frequently, Stromboli is well monitored and observations lead to the finding that some eruptions have pulse-like features. However, the datasets are huge and manual examinations to label these characteristics within an event are both time consuming and monotonous and have to be repeated for every new measurement campaign so far. New techniques such as neural networks, especially recurrent ones, shall be explored to classify single pulses in an automatic manner and hence facilitate future work for in depth analysis.