Magma Outgassing During Eruptions and Geothermal Exploration

Magmatism is central to planetary evolution, controlling differentiation, volcanic eruptions and most geothermal systems. The presence of volatiles regulates magma buoyancy, storage and transport.

As temperature, pressure and stress evolve – during transport, crystallisation, earthquakes or geothermal exploration – volatiles exsolve and either accumulate or escape magma, influencing the probability and style of an eruption.

Understanding the controls on magma-gas coupling is thus fundamental to resolve volcanic activity as well as manipulate its response to drilling operations when harnessing magma energy. This project aims to constrain Magma outgassing during eruptions and geothermal exploration (MODERATE).

I propose a timely, innovative, interdisciplinary project to radically broaden our understanding of magma-gas coupling in volcanic and (superhot) geothermal systems.

The objectives are to: 1) constrain the impact of external forcing mechanisms (i.e., decompression, temperature changes, shear and pressure oscillations from shaking, impact and rupture) on the kinetics of vesiculation, 2) quantify the development of magma permeability, and 3) define thermo-mechanical strategies to moderate magma outgassing and alleviate the risk of volcanic eruption associated with drilling and borehole operations.

A map of magma vesiculation and permeability under a wider range of conditions and stressing scenarios than ever achieved before will allow us to resolve current conundrums and explore new regimes to control permeability in magma.

This innovative effort will allow us to moderate magma outgassing, thus enabling direct access to magma energy and eventually providing a means to control outgassing and alleviate eruption potential.