Clothilde Biensan

Nationality: French
Institution: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
Country: Italy
Research Title: Active degassing of mafic magmas from remote multispectral observations

PROJECT SUMMARY

The goal is to asses the fundamental parameters that control the different modes of active degassing and their transitions at mafic volcanoes.

Degassing and outgassing of magma are key processes controlling volcanic activity and measurable signals routinely monitored at active volcanoes. The fragmentation of magma results in the disruption of the liquid continuum that confines the gas and remains one of the most elusive processes to observe and parameterize in the field. Our goal is to understand the link between different modes of magma fragmentation and gas liberation at mafic volcanoes. To reach this goal will use high spatial and temporal resolution, ground-based multispectral imaging. Detailed observation of in-flight deformation, fragmentation, and degassing of magma during variable active and passive degassing activity will be used as proxy for inaccessible shallow conduit processes, to be simultaneously investigated by geophysical (e.g., geodetic, seismic, acoustic) monitoring systems. My planned secondments are to attend DIAS, ULANC and UI. In collaboration with those University I will develop certain aspects of the project.

Scientific Background

I am passionate about volcanoes since middle school, in order to achieve my goal I decided to study geology. I was graduated from Bordeaux University with a degree in Environmental Earth Sciences. After my graduation I went to Reunion Island for my Master Degree, I graduated on Geomatic’s and Remote sensing. During those two years I experienced the impacts that active volcanoes have on life and society. That’s why I wanted to persue a career in volcanology. After my Master Degree I worked in the Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans (LMV) in Clermont-Ferrand for 5 month. I processed data from radar and disdrometer measurements on Etna, Stromboli and Sabancaya volcanoes. I also analysed data acquired by two disdrometers (LPM and Parsivel2) in La Palma during the Cumbre Vieja eruption in 2021.

Activity Record