The fluid dynamics of volcanic lava flows - incorporating thermorheological evolution

"""When volcanic lava cools it undergoes rheological evolution, becoming more viscous, developing a

yield stress, and ultimately solidifying. This rheological evolution presents a major challenge for accurate modelling and forecasting of lava flows, and results in a number of interesting fluid dynamical phenomena including lava flow inflation, in which a solidified crust arrests horizontal spreading and the continued supply of lava acts to vertically inflate the flow, and flow localisation, by which a lava flow evolves from a uniform sheet to a fast flowing localised channel or tube, providing an efficient supply of hot lava to the front of the flow.

The aim of this project is to use analytical and numerical techniques to develop and evaluate

mathematical models for particular lava flow processes driven by thermorheological evolution (e.g. inflation and localisation). Such simplified models can help inform the development of future forecasting tools."""