Long-term cooling-induced volcano instability

• Applicant: Jackie Kendrick, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry ; Geology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 555278243

Volcanoes are among the most dynamic and active settings on Earth, constructed over relatively short geological timescales via progressive accrual of material which renders them inherently unstable. In particular, lava domes, are built from extrusive lavas and represent a particular hazard due to their propensity to collapse without warning, both during eruptions, and after the eruption has ceased. Lava dome eruptions account for just 6% of eruptions worldwide, but are responsible for a disproportionately large number of deadly eruptions. In this project we use the case study of Mount Unzen (Japan), which has a long history of explosive and effusive activity. Mount Unzen has suffered significant collapse events in its recent past, for example, in 1792 a catastrophic eruption and collapse of part of the volcano took the lives of an estimated 15,000 people. In 1990-95 Mount Unzen had a lava dome building eruption, which caused the evacuation and devastation of nearby settlements, and the tragic death of a further 44 people. The area surrounding the volcano remains an exclusion zone to this day due to the unstable lava dome, which could collapse at any moment. Here we propose to integrate novel strategies from fieldwork, remote-sensing, experiments and modelling to understand the long-term cooling induced instability of this volcano. This multidisciplinary project, investigating instability for this ideal case study, Mount Unzen, will be achieved via the following specific objectives: (1) Quantify the spatial heterogeneity and temporal evolution since emplacement of the Unzen lava dome; (2) Characterise the thermo-mechanical behaviour of Unzen dome lavas; (3) Recreate past and project future cooling and deformation of the Unzen lava dome using novel 3D models. As well as providing an accurate understanding of the ongoing hazard at Mount Unzen volcano, the development and integration of these techniques will provide new methodologies that will be highly transferrable to other lava dome volcanoes worldwide, setting the benchmark for combined approaches in volcanology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Ireland, Japan
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Janine Birnbaum, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Yan Lavallée
• Cooperation Partners: Professorin Dr. Claire Harnett; Professor Dr.-Ing. Takeshi Matsushima; Dr. Takahiro Miwa