International Research Fellowship Program: Quantification of Lava Flow Emplacement Processes Using Experimental Petrology and Multiphase Flow Dynamics

Teasdale Rachel, Moscow ID

Investigators

Abstract

0204064 Teasdale The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a twenty-four month research fellowship by Dr. Rachel Teasdale to work with Dr. Steve Sparks at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. The purpose of this project is to quantify the crystallinities of basaltic lava flows to increase understanding the conditions that occur prior to eruption and during transport. The PI will measure crystallinities from magmas with high volatile content from non-gassed submarine lava flows and experimentally produced lavas at variable volatile content; combine crystallinity data collected from degassing experiments with crystallinities that develop in the open flow channel at atmosphere pressure cooling experiments and she will develop an analog flow model for morphology-crystallinity behavior. This project, with its modeling and observations to determine the characteristics of lava flow behavior, will have an impact on public safety issues. Dr. Sparks is a leader in the study of volcanic flows and has expertise in the area of crystallization of lava flows.