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PhD in Volcanology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand
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“The dynamics of deep marine explosive volcanic eruptions: insights from
the Kermadec Arc”
Recent discoveries in oceanic arcs show that submarine pumice-forming
explosive eruptions are surprisingly common. Such eruptions involve
silica-rich magmas (despite their within-ocean setting) and many are
large enough to form calderas and represent a significant hazard. These
eruptions are unusual because pressure in water depths of up to 1.5 km
should suppress the foaming of magma to form pumice and hence inhibit
explosive eruptions. Although such eruptions occur, they cannot be
observed directly and there are few measurements from the eruption
products to help understand the physical processes whereby magma foams
and breaks up underwater.
Three volcanoes (Healy, Macauley and Raoul) in the Kermadec arc, north
of New Zealand, present unique circumstances that allow processes in
Holocene submarine explosive eruptions to be modelled in deeper marine,
shallower marine and subaerial settings, respectively. This project,
funded by the Marsden Fund (Royal Society of New Zealand), will
characterise pumices and eruption products from these volcanoes and use
constraints provided by the different water depths to constrain the
violent degassing processes driving the eruptions.
The project involves a fully funded Ph.D. scholarship, to be supervised
by Prof. Colin Wilson (University of Auckland) and Dr Ian Wright of
NIWA, Wellington and tenured in the Geology Department at the University
of Auckland. Additional training and analytical studies will be
undertaken with Prof. Bruce Houghton (University of Hawaii) and Drs
Bruce Charlier and Nick Rogers (Open University, UK). The ideal
candidate will have a B.Sc (Hons) or M.Sc. degree including some
mathematics or physics. Experience in image analysis and/or
microanalytical techniques would be an advantage.
Interested applicants should send in a cv and email addresses of two
referees. As Colin Wilson is on fieldwork until 22 October, please email
material to our colleague, A/P Kathy Campbell at:
ka.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Applications will be reviewed from 1
November 2006. Start date is in the first quarter of 2007. Further
details are available on the Geology Department website:
http://www.geology.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/science/about/departments/geology/phd_opportunities.cfm
--
Dr. Darren Gravley
Volcanologist
Department of Geology
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland
New Zealand
d.gravley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+64 9 373 7599 ext 88066
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