EAPSI: Investigating Hydrothermal Structures by Electrical Self-potential Measurements

了解热液系统的结构将改善对地球物理和地球化学信号的解释，从而能够更深入地了解火山过程，以便更有效地监测和预测喷发。该项目的成果有可能有益于美国和全世界活火山的监测和减灾工作。在这个项目中，研究人员将绘制新西兰白色岛火山热液系统的结构图。这项工作将在新西兰GNS科学公司高级火山流体地球化学家布鲁斯克里斯滕森博士的指导下进行。地表附近的气体和热沃茨的化学成分提供了有关火山和下面岩浆状态的重要信息。然而，这些热液系统对火山学提出了具体的挑战，因为地表沃茨可以改变和稀释火山流体，并掩盖可能来自深处岩浆运动的地震信号。还有与火山热液系统有关的固有危险，如潜水（蒸汽）和蒸汽岩浆（蒸汽+岩浆）喷发以及新鲜地表沃茨的污染，所有这些都使当地居民处于危险之中。了解这些系统的结构和行为对于解释火山信号至关重要。这反过来又可以更好地预测火山爆发，以保护生活在活火山附近的人们的生命。该奖项将支持实地工作，以绘制白色岛，在新西兰最活跃的火山热液系统，使用被称为电自电位的方法。当热流体流过地面时，它们会产生微小的电流。通过测量电位沿着地的变化，这些电流可用于有效地绘制流体流动的路径和方向。该奖项是东亚和太平洋暑期研究所项目下的一个奖项，由NSF和新西兰皇家学会共同资助，用于支持美国研究生的暑期研究。

Understanding the architecture of the hydrothermal system will improve interpretation of geophysical and geochemical signals, enabling a deeper understanding of volcanic processes for more effective monitoring and eruption forecasting. The results of this project have the potential to benefit monitoring and hazard mitigation efforts at active volcanoes in the United States and worldwide. In this project, the researchers will map the structure of the hydrothermal system on White Island volcano, New Zealand. The work will be carried out under the guidance of Dr. Bruce Christenson, Senior Volcanic Fluids Geochemist at GNS Science, New Zealand.The chemistry of gases and thermal waters near the surface provides vital information about the state of the volcano and the magma below. However, these hydrothermal systems present specific challenges for volcanology, as surface waters can alter and dilute volcanic fluids and mask seismic signals that may be coming from the movement of magma at depth. There are also inherent dangers associated with volcano-hydrothermal systems, such as phreatic (steam) and phreatomagmatic (steam + magma) eruptions and contamination of fresh surface waters, all of which put local populations at risk. Understanding the structure and behaviour of these systems is critical for interpreting volcanic signals. This in turn enables better eruption forecasting to protect the lives of people living near active volcanoes. This award will support fieldwork to map the hydrothermal system on White Island, the most active volcano in New Zealand, using a method known as electrical self-potential. As thermal fluids flow through the ground, they generate minute electrical currents. By measuring the change in electrical potential along the ground, these currents can be used to effectively map the path and direction of fluid flow. This award, under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program, supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Royal Society of New Zealand.