PhD opportunity in Submarine Volcanology at the University of Tasmania, Australia

[Kathleen McKee]

Dear Colleagues,

We'd like to share a funded PhD opportunity in submarine eruption source characterization.

Observations of recent shallow submarine volcanic eruptions show that the vent can transition between being open to the atmosphere and being submerged. The 2022 eruption of Hunga volcano in Tonga evolved from a direct atmospheric eruption to one that erupted through the ocean into the atmosphere. This evolution was documented by satellite imagery. Pre- and post-eruption bathymetric data indicate a potential change in vent location from above to 800 m below sea level. This project will study the evolution of eruptive-source depth from multiple perspectives. The research will examine hydroacoustic observations and model how changes in source depth affect eruption detectability. The research will examine eruption samples and conduct numerical simulations to constrain the depth of magma fragmentation.

Please contact:

Kathleen McKee (kfmckee [at] mtu.edu) and

Rebecca Carey (rebecca.carey [at] utas.edu.au)

Application deadline: April 1

Further details: https://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/available-projects?id=12159

Warm regards,

Kathleen McKee, Rebecca Carey, Jodi Fox

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Kathleen F. McKee

Research Assistant Prof

Geological & Mining Eng. & Sciences

Michigan Technological University