Monitoring Volcanoes and Magma Movements

Module 1 : Introduction, volcanic plumbing systems and volcano seismology. We explore models of volcano interiors and how magma (molten rocks) finds its way to the surface, often through a complicated volcanic plumbing system. We learn about how seismology can track earthquakes due to magma movements and increased stress in volcano roots.

Module 2 : Volcano geodesy. We get an introduction to techniques that can measure ground deformation on volcanoes with millimeter-level accuracy. This includes both geodetic measurements using Global Navigation and Satellite Systems (GNSS) and interferometric analysis of synthetic aperture radar satellite images (InSAR), as well as other techniques.

Module 3 : Magma, volcanic gas and eruptions. We learn about the properties of magma and gain an understanding of volcanic gas, how it can be measured and what it can tell us. We learn how one can monitor eruptions and measure how much magma is erupted.

Module 4 : Volcano deformation models. We are introduced to models used to interpret ground deformation data, in terms of sources of increased pressure, or sources of increased volume of magma, at depth in volcanoes.

Module 5 : Case studies of volcano unrest and eruptions. We look at monitoring data from selected eruptions, including the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland that closed Europe’s airspace. We gain an understanding of what these data could tell us about magma movements in volcano roots.

Module 6 : More case studies and summary. We are exposed to more case studies of volcano unrest and eruptions. We sum up the content of the course by exploring the critical elements of a volcano monitoring network and how joint interpretation of diverse data sets is essential.