Regina Maaß

Nationality: German
Institution: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS)
Country: Ireland
Research Title: Time lapse virtual & earthquake source seismic imagery at Krafla

PROJECT SUMMARY

In 2008 and 2009, rhyolitic magma was unexpectedly found at Krafla in shallow depths of 2-3 km when drilling wells. Krafla is one of the best studied volcanic systems worldwide, but no geophysical survey had previously identified the magmatic bodies. Why? Imaging small magma bodies in the uppermost layers of the Earth is challenging due to the complexity of the seismic wavefield and the limitations of common geophysical methods. Our project aims at pushing these limits by applying and developing new (seismic) imaging techniques. Using a reflection seismic configuration, we expect to image the magmarock interface(s) beneath Krafla. This will be generally helpful to improve our understanding of magmatic systems and gain insights into complex geologic settings.

Scientific Background

After completing my Bachelor‘s degree (BSc Geophysics) at University of Münster in 2019, I continued with the Master‘s degree (MSc Geophysics) at University of Hamburg. Exploring the upper layers of the Earth with seismic waves fascinated me, which is why I decided to specialize in seismology. For my Master’s thesis, I used data recorded by a fiber optic cable in Reykjanes, Iceland, to measure changes of seismic velocities over time and relate them to magmatic processes in the Earth’s crust. I graduated in March 2022. Since June 2022, I am a PhD student at DIAS. As part of the IMPROVE project, I focus on seismic imaging in volcanic systems.

Activity Record