Statistical and Numerical Modelling of Volcanic Eruption Processes

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The main long-term objectives of the proposed research program are to carry out comprehensive statistical analyses of temporal and spatial aspects of volcanism on Earth, volcanic landforms on the other planetary bodies of the solar system and to develop a physically realistic numerical model to simulate volcanic eruption processes. The computer model will be tested and calibrated against observations in order to validate and discriminate between various physical mechanisms controlling the volcanic eruptions. This will allow us to gain a better understanding of the physics of eruption processes and is crucial from the volcanic hazard assessment and mitigation points of view where probabilistic forecasting plays an essential role. Numerical simulations of volcanic processes are one of the most promising approaches to understand the mechanisms and physics of volcanic eruptions and the hazard they pose. However, existing computer models of volcanic eruptions are still in their early development phases and do not reproduce the whole spectrum of the observed characteristics of eruptions. In summary, in this research program I and my students will study various aspects of volcanism on Earth, particularly, the statistical characteristics of temporal sequences of eruptions. In addition to the temporal statistics, we will analyse the spatial scaling properties of volcanic landforms which are related to the processes of volcano formation on Earth and other planets. We will also develop a comprehensive computer eruption model based on a lattice-gas cellular automaton combined with damage/healing rheology of the crust in order to better understand the complex interactions between rising multi-component fluid magma and surrounding crust in a volcanically active region. The results of the proposed research will provide a basis for the development of realistic physics-based volcano eruption models.