MARIE CURIE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AT LMU MUENCHEN IN EXPERIMENTAL VOLCANOLOGY
Application Deadline: 2012-05-08
Research Fields: Environmental science - Earth science
Career Stage: Early stage researcher or 0-4 yrs (Post graduate)
Research Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Interested candidates are however invited to write directly to Bettina Scheu ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
Call: Euraxess
DESCRIPTION OF WORK:
The goal of this project is to constrain the fragmentation dynamics of phreatic eruptions, driven by steam flashing and to compare of their dynamics to magmatic eruptions. Phreatic eruptions are amongst the most common eruption types, often precursory to a new cycle of volcanic activity. However their dynamics are still poorly understood, partly owned to their huge variety of triggers and appearance. The research will focus at several suites of natural samples. The effect of water on the rock mechanical properties strength will be analysed. The explosivity of steam-blast eruptions in contrast to pure gas-expansion will be determined with shock-tube experiments at varying P, T and H2O saturation, analysing fragmentation threshold, speed of fragmentation and ejection, as well as grain size variation. A model for the energy conversion based on the thermodynamics of vapor expansion should be developed helping to constrain phreatic eruptions scenarios and elucidating their hazard potential.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
The successful candidate will work for two years with Bettina Scheu and other staff at the Fragmentation Lab within the group of Experimental Volcanology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universiaet Muenchen. The working group of Experimental Volcanology offers a stimulating, active working environment with scientists from Europe and worldwide, covering a broad range of topics including also physical volcanology and physics of melts and magmas. The associated labs hosts state-of-the-art experimental and analytical facilities. The candidate will also spend at least one month per year at another of the 13 institutions from 8 countries that form the NEMOH network.
