U.S. - Mexico Cooperative Research: Volcanic Risk Evaluation of the Colima and Popocatepetl Volcanoes

该奖项将支持由亚利桑那州立大学（ASU） Michael F. Sheridan教授领导的一组美国研究人员与墨西哥国立自治大学（UNAM）地球物理研究所Ana Lillian Martin教授领导的一组墨西哥研究人员合作。研究人员打算研究墨西哥的火山活动，特别强调科利马火山和波波卡特佩特尔火山所在的地区。在此过程中，他们计划制作一份火山风险地图和一份报告，以减少潜在的火山灾害。更具体地说，研究人员将：(1)对所有历史记录进行文献检索；(2)收集有关地层和产品分布的野外资料；(3)确定关键事件的辐射测量日期；(4)建立火山格局概念模型；(5)确定未来喷发中各类火山事件发生的概率；(6)利用计算机活动模型估计产品的分布；(7)绘制火山危险性图，说明研究结果；(8)出版一本专著，提供解释风险图所需的所有相关信息。墨西哥研究人员已将科利马定为降低风险的主要目标，但正在研究的两座火山都被认为是危险的。为这项研究提出的数值模型目前正在联合国国立自治大学地球物理研究所安装。亚利桑那州立大学将向墨西哥研究人员提供用于绘制灾害地图和分析陆地卫星TM图像的技术。最终，拟议中的交换将有助于更好地理解墨西哥和其他地方火山活动的复杂问题。

This award will support a group of U.S. researchers headed by Prof. Michael F. Sheridan of the Arizona State University (ASU) to collaborate with a group of Mexican researchers under Professor Ana Lillian Martin of the Institute of Geophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The investigators intend to study volcanic activity in Mexico with special emphasis on the region where the Colima and Popocatepetl volcanoes are located. In the process, they plan to produce a volcanic risk map and a report to reduce potential volcanic disasters. More specifically, the researchers will: (1) conduct a literature search of all historic records; (2) gather field data on the stratigraphy and distribution of products; (3) determine radiometric dates of critical events; (4) formulate a conceptual model of volcanic patterns; (5) determine the probability of various types of volcanic events in future eruptions; (6) estimate the distribution of products using computer models of activity; (7) create volcanic risk maps illustrating the results; and (8) publish a monograph with all the pertinent information necessary to explain the risk map. Mexican researchers have designated Colima to be the prime target for risk mitigation but both volcanoes under study are considered dangerous. The numerical models proposed for this study are presently being installed at the Institute of Geophysics of UNAM. ASU will provide Mexican researchers with the technology used in the creation of hazards maps and in the analysis of landsat TM images. Ultimately, the proposed exchange will lead to a better understanding of the complex problem of volcanic activity in Mexico and elsewhere.