Fredagskollokvium: Studying Volcanoes’ roots: a journey to Patagonia and… Blindern’s basement

Volcanoes have fascinated humans for millennia. However, the processes governing volcanic eruptions remain to a great extent poorly understood. The main reason is that the migration of magma from the deep Earth’s interior to the surface at active volcanoes, though the so-called volcano plumbing system, is out of reach for direct observations. To overcome this challenge, I lead field expeditions  in northern Patagonia to study ancient volcanoes, the roots of which are exposed by erosion. During the expeditions in this remote part of the world, we integrate direct geological observations in dramatic landscapes with remote sensing observations from drones. Nevertheless, because these volcanoes are extinct, the dynamics of the sub-volcanic processes at the time of activity are challenging to unravel. To overcome this, we design a suite of laboratory apparatuses to simulate the complex processes of magma migration through the Earth’s crust. The colloquium will report on our fantastic field experience in Patagonia and on the inspiring laboratory models we are running at Blindern.