Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IMPROVE (Innovative Multi-disciPlinary European Research training netwOrk on VolcanoEs)
Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2023-08-31
IMPROVE trains 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in advanced, multi-disciplinary, quantitative methods and techniques in volcanology, while developing cutting edge research at the international forefront. IMPROVE focusses on the structure and dynamics of underground volcanic systems, and addresses open problems that are critical for understanding volcano dynamics, interpreting their signals, imaging the internal processes, and ultimately forecasting volcanic eruptions and early informing the civil society. With that aim, IMPROVE identifies two target volcanoes that provide unique conditions each for one major objective.
The Krafla volcanic caldera, in Iceland, is the only place where we know from direct observation, after serendipitous encounter during geothermal drilling operations, the location of shallow magma, that was unexpected based on geophysical and geochemical surveys. Together with the Icelandic state geothermal company which owns the Krafla power plant, 9 IMPROVE ESRs are engaged in Objective #1, which attacks the to-date limitations in underground volcano imaging through a coordinated, multi-disciplinary effort aimed at testing current-day models and developing new ones, at Krafla, the unique place where ground-truth testing is supported by direct knowledge of the magma-rock interface.
The Mount Etna stratovolcano, in Sicily, is arguably the most active, most monitored, best studied volcano in the world. Daily streams of multi-parametric data are in the TB range and cover, among the others, ground movements with high accuracy and precision. However, even at the most studied volcanoes in the world, ground movements in the frequency band intermediate between that of classical seismicity and geodesy, with their potentially immense information content, still escape routine monitoring, observation and understanding. Together with the INGV Etnean Observatory, which runs the monitoring and surveillance systems, 6 IMPROVE ESRs are attacking Objective #2 which fills that gap at Mount Etna, the volcano in the world which offers the best conditions in terms of background knowledge and data quality, quantity, and diversity.
IMPROVE includes additional major objectives which reflect the industrial contribution within the project. Objective #3 aims at re-building close cooperation between science and industry in the field of geothermal energy, after decades of detrimental separate developments; and Objective #4 aims at creating fruitful feedback between instrumental manufacturers, the industry, and the academy, whereby the next relevant instrumental developments are planned together so as to maximize the positive returns to all actors.
Within the frame above, the 15 IMPROVE ESRs are expected to grow as leading volcano scientists, at the same time evaluating the possibility of a career in the industrial sectors. In both cases they will master the most advanced multi-parametric quantitative methods in volcano & geothermal system investigation, and will be used to collaboration across academy and industry from planning to development to exploitation, with positive feedbacks on both sectors.
The Krafla volcanic caldera, in Iceland, is the only place where we know from direct observation, after serendipitous encounter during geothermal drilling operations, the location of shallow magma, that was unexpected based on geophysical and geochemical surveys. Together with the Icelandic state geothermal company which owns the Krafla power plant, 9 IMPROVE ESRs are engaged in Objective #1, which attacks the to-date limitations in underground volcano imaging through a coordinated, multi-disciplinary effort aimed at testing current-day models and developing new ones, at Krafla, the unique place where ground-truth testing is supported by direct knowledge of the magma-rock interface.
The Mount Etna stratovolcano, in Sicily, is arguably the most active, most monitored, best studied volcano in the world. Daily streams of multi-parametric data are in the TB range and cover, among the others, ground movements with high accuracy and precision. However, even at the most studied volcanoes in the world, ground movements in the frequency band intermediate between that of classical seismicity and geodesy, with their potentially immense information content, still escape routine monitoring, observation and understanding. Together with the INGV Etnean Observatory, which runs the monitoring and surveillance systems, 6 IMPROVE ESRs are attacking Objective #2 which fills that gap at Mount Etna, the volcano in the world which offers the best conditions in terms of background knowledge and data quality, quantity, and diversity.
IMPROVE includes additional major objectives which reflect the industrial contribution within the project. Objective #3 aims at re-building close cooperation between science and industry in the field of geothermal energy, after decades of detrimental separate developments; and Objective #4 aims at creating fruitful feedback between instrumental manufacturers, the industry, and the academy, whereby the next relevant instrumental developments are planned together so as to maximize the positive returns to all actors.
Within the frame above, the 15 IMPROVE ESRs are expected to grow as leading volcano scientists, at the same time evaluating the possibility of a career in the industrial sectors. In both cases they will master the most advanced multi-parametric quantitative methods in volcano & geothermal system investigation, and will be used to collaboration across academy and industry from planning to development to exploitation, with positive feedbacks on both sectors.
The first months have been mostly dedicated to recruitments. The IMPROVE ESRs come from three continents and eight Countries, and are all engaged in a PhD at the hosting University or at partner Universities.
The scientific work has involved the execution of two major field campaigns, at Krafla and Etna, that have mobilized several hundred individual instruments, several tens of senior personnel, and all of the ESRs (except one who was not recruited yet at the time of the first campaign at Krafla) (Figs. 1 and 2). That provided the ESRs with the data for their research, complemented by others from individual or smaller group campaigns, from instruments in long-time acquisition, and from the permanent monitoring networks at Krafla and Etna, available through Partners LV, UI, and INGV. The data produced under IMPROVE are (with limitations due to size of order tens of TB) accessible within the project through the IMPROVE database, managed by INGV and regulated by the IMPROVE Data Management Plan; or upon request to the owning Partner.
Besides the field campaigns, the ESRs are engaged in personal training and research programs at their hosting institutions, spanning from physical modelling and numerical simulations to lab work to massive data analysis and ML techniques. All of the ESRs participate regularly in international scientific conferences and meetings where they disseminate their individual and group work (Fig. 3). A few ESRs are preparing and sending their first IMPROVE papers, and one of them has already published the first one. Additionally, they maintain an intense secondment program reflecting high levels of cooperation within the project. Interactions and cooperation also extend outside the project, expanding further the network of connections of the ESRs with the academic world.
The IMPROVE have also benefited of a tailored network-level training program. Besides the two field campaigns described above and that hold a strong training component, IMPROVE has already organized (Figs. 4, 5) three Network Schools (Iceland – Krafla, June 2022; Ireland, May 2023; Italy – Etna, July 2023) and two Specialized Short Courses (Grenoble, France, January 2023; Bristol, UK, March 2023). In total, 55 external students have attended, besides the 15 IMPROVE ESRs. IMPROVE has also produced four Digital Training Modules on both hard science and complementary skills, for a total of about 8h30’ of video lessons.
The scientific work has involved the execution of two major field campaigns, at Krafla and Etna, that have mobilized several hundred individual instruments, several tens of senior personnel, and all of the ESRs (except one who was not recruited yet at the time of the first campaign at Krafla) (Figs. 1 and 2). That provided the ESRs with the data for their research, complemented by others from individual or smaller group campaigns, from instruments in long-time acquisition, and from the permanent monitoring networks at Krafla and Etna, available through Partners LV, UI, and INGV. The data produced under IMPROVE are (with limitations due to size of order tens of TB) accessible within the project through the IMPROVE database, managed by INGV and regulated by the IMPROVE Data Management Plan; or upon request to the owning Partner.
Besides the field campaigns, the ESRs are engaged in personal training and research programs at their hosting institutions, spanning from physical modelling and numerical simulations to lab work to massive data analysis and ML techniques. All of the ESRs participate regularly in international scientific conferences and meetings where they disseminate their individual and group work (Fig. 3). A few ESRs are preparing and sending their first IMPROVE papers, and one of them has already published the first one. Additionally, they maintain an intense secondment program reflecting high levels of cooperation within the project. Interactions and cooperation also extend outside the project, expanding further the network of connections of the ESRs with the academic world.
The IMPROVE have also benefited of a tailored network-level training program. Besides the two field campaigns described above and that hold a strong training component, IMPROVE has already organized (Figs. 4, 5) three Network Schools (Iceland – Krafla, June 2022; Ireland, May 2023; Italy – Etna, July 2023) and two Specialized Short Courses (Grenoble, France, January 2023; Bristol, UK, March 2023). In total, 55 external students have attended, besides the 15 IMPROVE ESRs. IMPROVE has also produced four Digital Training Modules on both hard science and complementary skills, for a total of about 8h30’ of video lessons.
The project phase of data production has mostly been done; the phase of data analysis, processing and modelling is currently on-going; while the final phase of synthesis of the results is expected for the last year of ESRs’ recruitment. Accordingly, most of the scientific progress is expected to come in the prosecution of the project. For Krafla, that is summarized in the development of robust methods for the definition of the underground setup at active volcanoes, with substantial impacts particularly for highly risky volcanoes (e.g. the Campi Flegrei caldera in Naples) for which the consequences of overlooking the presence of shallow magma can be catastrophic. Significant impacts from understanding the characteristics and dynamic properties of the geothermal circulation system are also expected for the evaluation of the industrial strategies related to geothermal energy production at Krafla.
At Mount Etna, filling the knowledge gap in ground displacement dynamics for periods from the minute to the day scale has the potential to revolutionize our capability to early recognize magmatic movements and operate early warning systems. Preliminary evaluations from the data collected during the Etna field campaign look promising. The Etnean Observatory of INGV is fully involved, and directly receiving the benefits from the project for inclusion into their routine analyses and monitoring strategies. If successful, it is easy to predict that the same concepts, methods and paradigms will have a quick spread and will be rapidly adopted by an increasing number of volcano observatories worldwide.
At Mount Etna, filling the knowledge gap in ground displacement dynamics for periods from the minute to the day scale has the potential to revolutionize our capability to early recognize magmatic movements and operate early warning systems. Preliminary evaluations from the data collected during the Etna field campaign look promising. The Etnean Observatory of INGV is fully involved, and directly receiving the benefits from the project for inclusion into their routine analyses and monitoring strategies. If successful, it is easy to predict that the same concepts, methods and paradigms will have a quick spread and will be rapidly adopted by an increasing number of volcano observatories worldwide.