Antonio CAPPONI

Nationality Italy Institution Lancaster University Country United Kingdom Gender Male

Experimental volcanology: linking fluid dynamics and volcano seismo-acoustic signals

Personal Project in NEMOH

The focus of my project in NEMOH is to investigate the dynamics of multiphase conduit flows in order to improve our understanding of seismic and acoustic signals created by gas transport in magmatic systems, with particular emphasis on Strombolian eruptions. Stromboli will be used as a natural laboratory because of the high quality and large quantity of field data available and observations gathered by laboratory and numerical approaches.

    Analogue laboratory experiments will be performed for studying the ascent of large gas slugs in analogue models of volcanic conduits with different diameters and inclinations, and filled with liquids with a range of viscosities (including water, oils and silicone compounds). Measurements will include fluid pressures in and above the liquid and the dynamic forces imparted on the apparatus. The fluid dynamics will be modelled using computational fluid dynamics software.

Scientific Background

    I graduated in 2010 from the University of Rome “Sapienza”, Italy, in Earth Sciences with a thesis in Volcanology titled “Application of High-Speed video imaging to Strombolian eruption”. Since 2010 I started a PhD project in collaboration with the same university and the INGV-Rome, “Gas slugs explosion and Strombolian activity: from field-based high-speed imaging to analog experiments”. So far my research interest mainly focused on understanding conduit dynamics of explosive eruptions of different types (Strombolian, Vulcanian, dome-forming) from several volcanoes (Stromboli, Yasur, Fuego, Santiaguito). On the basis of visible and thermal high-speed data, I retrieve and interpret physical parameters of explosive events. I also investigate the dynamics of multiphase conduit flows by means of laboratory analogue simulations, with particular attention for the expansion and bursting of gas slugs.

   I am currently investigating the links between ‘decoupled’ degassing behaviour of magma within a volcanic conduit and the resulting geophysical signals observed at the surface.

About me

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Personal Contacts

Antonio Capponi
Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher

Lancaster Environment Centre
LEC Building
Lancaster University
Bailrigg
Lancaster LA1 4YQ
United Kingdom

E-mail: a.capponilancaster.ac.uk