Description:

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is proud to present: Dr. Patricia Gregg of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Talk title: The Mechanics of Triggering Catastrophic Caldera-Forming Eruptions. Catastrophic caldera-forming super-eruptions, such as those produced by Yellowstone, Long Valley, and Toba volcanoes, are among the greatest geologic hazards on Earth. These eruptions result in widespread regional devastation and have a global climate impact. While great advancements have been made in understanding how large silicic reservoirs develop and evolve, the mechanics of triggering their mass evacuation remains a highly debated topic. In this presentation, I will review the current state of our understanding of caldera forming systems and present new thermomechanical models that seek to answer the critical question: How are super-eruptions triggered?

The EPS Seminar Series is always free and open to the public.