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Results of round-table discussions on the future of Volcanic and Igneous Plumbing System research

Janine L. Kavanagh 1, Katy J. Chamberlain1, John Browning2, Catherine Annen3

  • Affiliations: 1Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP, UK 2Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile 3Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia 

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Friday 16:30 - 18:00, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 64

  • Programme No: 7.5.13

  • Theme 7 > Session 5

Abstract

We designed and led a series of round-table discussions as part of the 1st IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic and Igneous Plumbing Systems Conference held in Liverpool, UK in 2024 to learn about perceptions of scientific and societal challenges in the VIPS research community. Delegates worked in multidisciplinary groups, including representatives across diverse career stages, from PhD students to senior researchers, and spanning academia and volcano monitoring agencies. Each group has a pre-designated notetaker and was first asked to discuss: What are the unresolved problems related to Magma Plumbing Systems, why are these important and why are they unresolved?  Four key unresolved problem themes were raised: 1) Issues related to the geometry and evolution of magma reservoirs and mush systems, 2) the timescales and dynamics of magma intrusion and eruption triggers, 3) interactions between magmatic, hydrothermal, tectonic and environmental factors, and 4) necessity for better constraints on physical and chemical properties of magmas, mushes and rocks. It was agreed that these themes were important for hazard mitigation, resource assessment and use, as well as for general advancement in the improvement of models. Disciplinary silos, data and model limitations, and constraints on physical and financial resources were all identified as obstacles to solving them. The groups also discussed advantages and challenges of working with multi-disciplinary methods and techniques, how VIPS research can aid in volcano monitoring efforts, and finally to deliberate the most important VIPS-related questions we should focus on over the next 5, 10 and 20 years.