The November 2004 explosive eruption of Grímsvötn volcano, Iceland (G2004) commenced as a subglacial event within the interior of the Vatnajökull ice cap before breaking through the ice cover to generate a 6-10 km high eruption column. This produced a tephra apron extending >50 km across the ice surface northwards from the eruption site, incorporating 0.047 km3 (DRE) of plagioclase-bearing, sparsely porphyritic, basaltic tephra. This study focuses on quantifying the key eruption parameters and evaluating the stratigraphy, grain size and geochemical characteristics of the proximal facies of the subaerial deposit with a level of detail and precision that has never previously been possible for a modern glacio-volcanic event. The G2004 deposit consists of a finely layered sequence which is subdivided into seven units (A-G) on the basis of differences in texture, grain size and componentry and the presence of sharp contacts between the layers. It is poorly sorted and finegrained with a median clast diameter of 1.5 Φ. The grain size characteristics and clast morphologies are indicative of intense phreatomagmatic fragmentation, despite a significant component of highly vesicular juvenile glass. A wide range in thicknesses and geometries of depositional units reflects variations in intensity and style of activity. Units C and E account for 80% of the total deposit volume, including the entire distal portion, and are interpreted to represent a mixture of (i) a widely dispersed component that fell from the upper margins of a strongly inclined (~45°) 6-10 km high plume and (ii) a locally dispersed (<3 km from source) component originating from (1) pyroclastic density currents generated by shallow explosions and tephra jets and (2) sedimentation from the jet region and lower convective column margins. The other units are only locally dispersed around the vent. A significant proportion of fine material was deposited in the near-vent region due to particle aggregation processes. The bulk of the G2004 deposit is therefore identified as the product of continuous incremental deposition during the passage of a single quasi-steady current supplied by a sustained explosive phreatomagmatic eruption, with a variable contribution of material from concurrent tephra fallout. Major oxide, trace element and volatile composition of the G2004 tephra were analysed and compared with that of the G1998 and Laki events. Results indicate that the G2004 magma originated within a shallow-level, compositionally stratified chamber and was discharged through an independent plumbing system. The parent magmas for each of these three Grímsvötn events were produced by different degrees of partial melting within a similar lower-crust or mantle source, but are not related by fractional crystallization or magma mixing. Despite episodic intense vesiculation, the G2004 magma was fragmented at very shallow levels by almost exclusively phreatomagmatic mechanisms – the effect of which was to arrest the degassing process such that only 75% of the potential magmatic sulphur budget escaped to the atmosphere.

The number of people suffering from natural disasters, and the economic impact of those disasters, continue to increase as the years go by. Better preparation and risk management strategies can help lessen the impacts of these disasters. One important aspect of risk management is risk assessment, which can be accomplished with a hazard map. One application of hazard maps is to forecast volcanic ashfall following an eruption to help people and organisations prepare themselves for, and mitigate the detrimental impacts of, volcanic ashfall. This research evaluated the key elements of a hazard map and how to make a hazard map most effective through the study of short-term ashfall forecast maps in New Zealand. A mixed-methods approach was taken for this research. Interviews were conducted with scientists at GNS and stakeholders who use the ashfall forecast maps. After the data from the interviews was analysed, an internet-based survey was created and sent out to anyone interested in participating. The survey served as a low-resolution verification of the high-resolution data gathered in the interviews. After each stage of information gathering, the ashfall forecast map design was updated. This research found that there are seven basic elements which should be considered when creating a hazard map. These elements are: simplicity of the map, base map, map scale, the use of colour, geographical information, the inclusion of uncertainty, and time. This research also found key lessons which can be applied to any hazard map creation process. These lessons are: established practices should be revaluated periodically, communication between the information provider and the enduser is critical, the information provider must decide between satisfying the individual or the group, education and outreach are important, audience feedback is necessary for an effective map, and that hazard maps are just one step in the risk mitigation process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2008. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-167). Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

xii, 98 p. : ill. (some col.) / The upper-crustal seismic-velocity structure of Newberry volcano, central Oregon, is imaged using P-wave travel time tomography. The inversion combines a densely-spaced seismic line collected in 2008 with two USGS seismic experiments from the 1980s. A high-velocity ring (7 km EW by 5 km NS) beneath the inner caldera faults suggests an intrusive ring complex 200 to 500 m thick. Within this ring shallow low velocities (<2 km depth) are interpreted as caldera fill and a subsided block. High velocities below 2 km depth could be intrusive complexes. There appears to be a low-velocity body at 3-6 km depth beneath the center of the volcano. This region is poorly resolved in the inversion because the ray paths bend around the low-velocity body. The 2008 data also recorded a secondary arrival that may be a delayed P-wave interacting with the low-velocity body. / Committee in charge: Emilie E.E. Hooft, Chairperson; Douglas R. Toomey, Member; Katharine V. Cashman, Member

Long-lived and short-lived volcanic vents often form in close proximity to one another. However, the processes that distinguish between these volcano types remain unknown. Here, I investigate the differences of long-lived (shield volcano) and short-lived (cinder cone) magmatic systems using two approaches. In the first, I use melt inclusion volatile contents for shield volcanoes and compare them to published data for cinder cones to investigate how shallow magma storage conditions differ between the two vent types in the Oregon Cascades. In the second, I model the primitive magmas that fed shield volcanoes and compare these compositions to those of nearby cinder cones to determine if the volcanoes are drawing magma from the same sources. The volatile concentrations suggest that long-lived and short-lived magmatic plumbing systems are distinct. Modeling of parental magmas and differentiation processes further suggest that long-lived and short-lived volcanoes have erupted lava from the same mantle magma source.

La stratigraphie de l’Ediacarien-Ordovicien Inférieur des Pyrénées Orientales est révisée. Le découpage stratigraphique est similaire aux successions de la Montagne Noire (France) et de la Sardaigne (Italie) tenant compte de (1) l’absence de déformation cadomienne au cours de la transition Ediacarien-Cambrien, (2) la présence, comme dans la Montagne Noire septentrionale, d’un volcanisme acide proche de la limite Ediacarien-Cambrien, et (3) l’absence des corps régressifs du Guzhangien (Cambrien moyen terminal) comme au Sud-Ouest de la Sardaigne. Les analyses géochimiques du volcanisme de l’Ediacarien supérieur des Pyrénées Orientales suggèrent deux affinités distinctes, une tholéitique liée à un contexte d’extension (métabasites des Formations de Nyer et d’Olette) et une autre calco-alcaline et à dominance acide liée à l’orogénèse Cadomienne (sommet de la Formation d’Olette et Formation du Pic de la Clape). Une révision des zircons détritiques des dépôts terreneuviens de la partie nord-occidentale péri-gondwanienne (Maroc, massif Ibérique, Montagne Noire, Pyrénées et Sardaigne) reflète l’influence relative des principales sources de sédiments suivant une polarité SO-NE : les sources panafricaines et atlasiennes prédominent dans les successions les plus sud-occidentales, tandis que l’influence du craton Arabo-Nubien et du méta-craton Saharien augmente vers le NE. Cette tendance disparait ensuite, reflétant une possible homogénéisation géodynamique et des sources continentales le long de cette marge. / The Ediacaran-Lower Ordovician stratigraphy of the Eastern Pyrenees is updated and revised. A similar stratigraphic framework is compared with neighbouring outcrops from the Montagne Noire (France) and Sardinia (Italy), which take into account: (i) the absence of Cadomian deformation close to the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary interval, (ii) the presence, like in the northern Montagne Noire, of acidic-dominated volcanosedimentary complexes punctuating the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition, (iii) the lack of the Guzhangian (mid Cambrian) regression, also absent in SW Sardinia. The geochemical analysis of the uppermost Ediacaran volcanism in the Eastern Pyrenees suggest two distinct affinities linked to extensional conditions (metabasites of the Nyer and Olette formations) followed by the influence the Cadomian orogeny (acidic and calk-alkaline magmatism recorded at the top of the Olette Formation and in the overlying Pic de la Clape Formation). Detrital zircons from Terreneuvian siliciclastic sediments of West Gondwana (Morocco, Iberian Massif, Montagne Noire, Pyrenees and Sardinia) reflect a distinct SW-NE trend in the relative influence of major sediment sources: the Panafrican-Atlasian sources predominate throughout the southwesternmost successions, whereas the influence of the Arabian-Nubian Shield and the Sahara Metacraton sources increases northeastward. This trend tends to disappear afterwards, possibly reflecting a common geodynamic evolution throughout this margin.

The ~ 73 ka ‘super-eruption’ of the Toba caldera in Sumatra is the largest known eruption of the Quaternary. The products of this eruption, the Youngest Toba Tuff (YTT), have been implicated in global and regional climate deterioration with widespread ecological effects. In this thesis I study the YTT co-ignimbrite ashfall, in particular the mechanisms of transport, sedimentation and preservation of ash deposits. I use distal marine and terrestrial ash sediments: a) to estimate the volume of YTT ash fallout; b) to quantify variability in the geochemistry of YTT ash; c) to assess the reliability of YTT ash as a chronostratigraphic marker; and d) to determine local influences on the reworking of YTT ash deposits. Following the introductory chapters, I address topics a) and b) through detailed investigations of published physical and chemical evidence. Chapter three shows that particle size and sediment thickness do not decline exponentially with distance from the eruption vent, highlighting the limitations of current methods of volume estimation for co-ignimbrite super-eruptions. Chapter four analyses geochemical variation in 72 YTT samples, and reveals the signatures of magma chamber zonation and post-depositional alteration. I address topics c) and d) through fieldwork in six locations, and detailed analysis of ash samples from a wide variety of local depositional environments. Chapter five uses high-resolution stratigraphic analysis of the YTT layer in the Son Valley, India, to show that variable deposition and sediment reworking may compromise the reliability of the ash layer as an isochronous marker for interpreting archaeological sequences. Chapter six combines a new understanding of the mechanisms of reworking, using new data on microscopic characteristics of reworked ash at four sites in Malaysia to demonstrate the necessity of accounting for reworking in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. I conclude that accurate analyses of distal ash deposits can reliably determine the chemical properties of the YTT eruption, and that a detailed understanding of deposition and reworking processes is essential to inference of the environmental impacts of super-eruptions.

Exposure to volcano hazards can lead to crises; with or without an eruptive event. Therefore, it is important to distinguish that volcanic events (unrest & eruptions) are physical phenomena while volcanic crises are social. Volcanic eruptions, unlike some other geologic hazards are often preceded by weeks or months of precursors, which offer the opportunity to reduce risk by early intervention. However, resistance to discussion of local hazards can hinder stakeholders’ (emergency managers, scientists, etc.) ability to mitigate volcano hazards and create well-informed protocols to respond when disaster strikes. The Long Valley Caldera (LVC) east of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, has experienced unrest since 1978, at which time a M5.6 earthquake ended 20 years of seismic quiet. Seismicity continued, followed by significant ground deformation and doming of the caldera floor, increased fumarolic activity, and CO2 degassing which has contributed to tree kills and human fatalities. Extensive research in volcano science provides an understanding of the physical phenomena behind the mechanics of volcanos, but limited resources have been dedicated to understanding human processes in response to volcano hazards and their corresponding disasters. Misconceptions and uncertainty surrounding organizational and physical communication of risk information can amplify economic consequences resulting from volcanic crises. This study will utilize two methods to obtain perceptions that local stakeholders and residents hold towards hazards in their region; and their confidence in the agencies that are responsible in responding to crises. A questionnaire sent to 1,200 households in February, 2018 asked head-of-households about their awareness of volcano hazards, preparedness for a volcano emergency, and perceptions of stakeholders responsible for decision making and warning systems. Mental model interviews conducted with stakeholders in summer, 2018 will provide insight on methods used by decision makers tasked with responding to disasters at LVC and the greater Long Valley Volcanic Region (LVVR). Mental models, i.e. schema, are a representation of how a person thinks about and mentally conceptualizes objects, events, and relationships in the real world. Robust to change, mental models are not easily altered; however, new information is either dismissed or made to fit within previous beliefs. Research suggests that the more discordant new information is with respect to existing beliefs, the more likely the information is to challenge those beliefs, providing opportunities for change. Together, these household and stakeholder studies will identify issues surrounding risk communication and risk management to improve tools that communicate the uncertainty of volcanic activity in the LVVR.

abstract: Lava flow emplacement in the laboratory and on the surface of Mars was investigated. In the laboratory, the effects of unsteady effusion rates at the vent on four modes of emplacement common to lava flow propagation: resurfacing, marginal breakouts, inflation, and lava tubes was addressed. A total of 222 experiments were conducted using a programmable pump to inject dyed PEG wax into a chilled bath (~ 0° C) in tanks with a roughened base at slopes of 0, 7, 16, and 29°. The experiments were divided into four conditions, which featured increasing or decreasing eruption rates for either 10 or 50 s. The primary controls on modes of emplacement were crust formation, variability in the eruption rate, and duration of the pulsatory flow rate. Resurfacing – although a relatively minor process – is inhibited by an extensive, coherent crust. Inflation requires a competent, flexible crust. Tube formation requires a crust and intermediate to low effusion rates. On Mars, laboratory analogue experiments combined with models that use flow dimensions to estimate emplacement conditions and using high resolution image data and digital terrain models (e.g. THEMIS IR, CTX, HRSC), the eruption rates, viscosities, and yield strengths of 40 lava flows in the Tharsis Volcanic Province have been quantified. These lava flows have lengths, mean widths, and mean thicknesses of 15 – 314 km, 0.5 – 29 km, and 11 – 91 m, respectively. Flow volumes range from ~1 – 430 km3. Based on laboratory experiments, the 40 observed lava flows were erupted at 0.2 – 6.5x103 m3/s, while the Graetz number and Jeffrey’s equation when applied to 34 of 40 lava flows indicates eruption rates and viscosities of 300 – ~3.5 x 104 m3/s and ~105 – 108 Pa s, respectively. Another model which accounts for mass loss to levee formation was applied to a subset of flows, n = 13, and suggests eruption rates and viscosities of ~30 – ~1.2 x 103 m3/s and 4.5 x 106 – ~3 x 107 Pa s, respectively. Emplacement times range from days to centuries indicating the necessity for long-term subsurface conduits capable of delivering enormous volumes of lava to the surface. / Dissertation/Thesis / Chapter 4 - Mars Lava Flow Data and Calculations / Chapter 2 - Experimental Data / Chapter 3 - Experimental Data / Doctoral Dissertation Geological Sciences 2020

Studying recent volcanic and tectonic events in the Red Sea region is important for improving our knowledge of the Red Sea plate boundary and for regional geohazard assessments. However, limited information has been available about the past activity due to insufficient in-situ data and remoteness of some of the activity. In this dissertation, I have used satellite remote sensing to derive new information about several recent volcanic and tectonic events in the Red Sea region. I first report on three volcanic eruptions in the southern Red Sea, the 2007-8 Jebel at Tair eruption and the 2011-12 & 2013 Zubair eruptions, which resulted in formation of two new islands. Series of high- resolution optical images were used to map the extent of lava flows and to observe and analyze the growth and destructive processes of the new islands. I used Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data to study the evolution of lava flows, to estimate their volumes, as well as to generate ground displacements maps, which were used to model the dikes that fed the eruptions. I then report on my work of the 2009 Harrat Lunayyir dike intrusion and the 2004 Tabuk earthquake sequence in western Saudi Arabia. I used InSAR observations and stress calculations to study the intruding dike at Harrat Lunayyir, while I combined InSAR data and Bayesian estimation to study the Tabuk earthquake activity. The key findings of the thesis are: 1) The recent volcanic eruptions in the southern Red Sea indicate that the area is magmatically more active than previously acknowledged and that a rifting episode has been taken place in the southern Red Sea; 2) Stress interactions between an ascending dike intrusion and normal faulting on graben-bounding faults above the dike can inhibit vertical propagation of magma towards the surface; 3) InSAR observations can improve locations of shallow earthquakes and fault model uncertainties are useful to associate earthquake activity with mapped faults; 4). The successful application of satellite remote sensing technologies in studying the recent volcanic and tectonic processes in the Red Sea region implies that remote sensing data are an important resource for the local authorities to monitor geohazards.