Charline Lormand

Citation

Thesis Title
Understanding magmatic processes and their timescales beneath the Tongariro Volcanic Centre through microanalytical investigations of the tephra record

The Tongariro Volcanic Centre, located in the Central North Island of New Zealand, has a complex eruptive history characterised by diverse styles of explosive eruptions. Volcanic crystals begin to grow at great depths within a magmatic plumbing system and provide a window into the crustal processes affecting magma ascent and eruptive dynamics. More specifically, small crystals called microlites (< 30 µm) allow the characterisation of the latest pre-eruptive processes at the onset of an eruption. By investigating the textures and geochemistry of more than 60,000 microlites from historical eruptions of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre, Ms Lormand characterised the origin, timescale and conditions at which the microlites formed. Her findings infer space and time-integrated forecasting information essential for future hazard assessments and evacuation planning in New Zealand.

Supervisors
Professor Georg Zellmer Fhea
Dr Geoff Kilgour
Associate Professor Alan Palmer
Professor Karoly Nemeth
Dr Naoya Sakamoto