Impact of long-term explosive volcanism from Nemrut and Süphan volcanoes on the compositional, temporal, dynamic, and paleoclimatic evolution of Lake Van (Turkey)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Hans-Ulrich Schmincke
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: from 2010 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 168019940

The temporal, geodynamic and environmental (paleoclimatic) reconstruction of a tectonically and volcanically highly active lake basin, bordered by active volcanoes Nemrut and Süphan, over the past c. 500 ka is the overall objective. Research strategies include fieldwork on the explosive products of both volcanoes and likely >500 tephra layers to be obtained by drilling into Lake Van in 2010, tephra layers representing the stratigraphic and temporal framework of the cores. Analytical methods, including structure, texture, mineralogical and chemical composition (XRF, EMP, laser-ICP-MS of glass and phenocrysts and 40Ar/39Ar single crystal dating), will allow determining the magnitude of eruptions, their distribution in time and space, correlation between drill sites and mass flux into the alkaline lake through time. Climate proxies include paleosols separating tephra units and paleowind directions. Temporal and dynamic reconstruction of fallout, pyroclastic flows, flank collapses and tsunamis resulting from sudden mass impact onto the lake will help to assess hazard and risk for the rapidly developing areas bordering huge Lake Van.

• DFG Programme: Infrastructure Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1006: International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP)