Dr. Lea Scharff

My research interests cover numerical modeling of developing volcanic ash clouds, monitoring of active volcanoes and the development of new measuring devices and monitoring systems. My current focus is on the development of software for controlling and data storage of the monitoring systems as well as the processing and interpretation of multi-disciplinary and complex data sets.

Since 2005 I mainly work on Doppler radar data that has been acquired at several different volcanoes worldwide. The Doppler radar is a modified mobile rain radar manufactured by Metek company. The volcanology group at our institute owns several different versions, each adapted to specified research questions, and we closely work together with Metek for innovations. The special software for the volcano radar is developed and continuously adapted to new scientific questions by our group under my lead.

The analysis of radar data comprises the characterization of the volcanic activity via statistical methods, the estimation and determination of several physical parameters and processes via inversion as well as the comparison of these results to other observations, data sets (i.e. infrasound or thermographic measurements) and synthetic data from numerical modeling.

My own motivation is to better understand the physics of the volcanic system to better constrain the volcanic hazards. The basic processes that lead to a volcanic eruption (degassing of magma and build-up of pressure in the edifice) are well known. Even the style and size of a future volcanic eruption can be determined (to a first order approximation) simply by knowing the SiO2 content of the magma defining its viscosity, as has been identified by geological and mineralogical research. However, each volcanic system is unique due to its geological setting and history. To determine the fundamental physical parameters of these systems for a reliable hazard classification and thus defining proper monitoring tools for those physical parameters is in my opinion the most important quest in current volcanological research.

BSc.-Program

• Exercise course in Geodynamics and Geothermal Energy
• Basic Seminar
• Supervision and review of bachelor's thesis

MSc.-Program

• Linear and Non-linear Inversion Problems, Lecture and Exercise course
• Excursion to Stromboli Volcano
• Exercise course for the Introduction and Application of the Finite Element Method to Geophysical Problems
• Seminar Volcanology
• Supervision and review of master's thesis