Julie OPPENHEIMER
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Gas transport and flow regimes in crystal-bearing magmas
Personal Project in NEMOH
My project aims to improve our understanding of gas transport in magmatic systems, with particular emphasis on multiphase flow. The result will be the development of practical constitutive equations for gas flow rates through crystalline magma appropriate for application to physical and numerical models.
The core of the project consists of laboratory experiments with analogue materials designed to study the physical processes by which gas moves through particle suspensions in viscous fluids. In a first set of experiments, mixtures of viscous liquids and solid particles are placed in a Hele-Shaw cell into which gas is injected with a syringe. In a second set of experiments, the mixtures of viscous liquid and solid particles are placed in a tube, or a tank, into which gas is introduced either by injection of a single bubble or by gas flow through a porous plate. The third set of experiments involves internal vesiculation (by decompression or chemical reaction) of 3-phase mixtures of viscous liquid, particles and gas bubbles. The gas influx (set 1 & 2), or decompression rate (set 3), are varied along with the particle content. Measurements include pressure, gas flow rate, gas holdup and bubble production rate.
The results will be quantified by a combination of scaling analysis and development of analytical or numerical models.
Scientific Background
In 2009, I obtained my undergraduate degree in Geographical Sciences from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, in Belgium. I wanted to work with natural hazards, so I took a short term job at the seismology centre of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, and did some field work on Indonesian volcanoes. In 2012, I completed a Master of Research in Science of Natural Hazards at the University of Bristol. My thesis focussed on porosity changes due to reactive transport within a magmatic hydrothermal system, with Soufriere Hills Volcano (Montserrat) as a case study. I am now a PhD candidate at Bristol as well.
About me
People often get confused when I tell them my nationality: I was born in Paris and I am half French and half American. However, I grew up in Belgium, so I usually simplify by telling everyone that I am Belgian. I also have a German name, and I have no relation whatsoever to Clive Oppenheimer, although I did get him to autograph one of my volcanology coursebooks (written by him and Peter Francis), which I am very proud of. My aim is to further confuse people by participating in international networks like NEMOH. Indeed, I now get to add that I currently live in the UK.
Contact details
Julie Oppenheimer
University of Bristol - Wills Memorial Building
Queen’s Road
BS8 1RJ
+44(0) 1173315196
