AntVolc (Antarctic Volcanism)

AntVolc logo webThe SCAR Antarctic Volcanism (AntVolc) Expert Group aims to promote the study of Antarctic volcanism, facilitate regional correlations and work towards establishing Antarctica as a high profile site for studying volcanic processes, especially but not solely petrology and glaciovolcanism.

Volcanoes are widespread, at environmentally strategic locations across the entire continent; several are active

  • Part of one of Earth’s largest crustal rift zones – the West Antarctic Rift System
  • Outstanding probes of the Earth’s inaccessible lithospheric interior
  • Erupted tephras ubiquitous in marine & ice cores; unrivalled tools for regional climate and time correlations
  • Tephras are isochronous correlateable surfaces whose sources and ages can be determined
  • Subglacial eruptions are unequalled sources of palaeo-ice sheet parameters (e.g. age, thickness, thermal regime)
  • Volcanic heat during subglacial eruptions has the potential to modulate ice-sheet behaviour and stability, and influence global climate

So, volcanic studies are crucial for a holistic understanding of the palaeoenvironmental, palaeoclimatic & geological evolution (past and future) of the Antarctic Continent.

For more information, please visit the external AntVolc website.

Visit also the AntVolc Twitter and Facebook page.

About

The Antarctic Volcanism (AntVolc) Expert Goup was formed in 2014 after approval at the 2014 SCAR Delegates Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.

AntVolc started its activities in 2015. Three meetings have been convened:

  • a kickstart meeting at Catania (Italy);
  • a short ad hoc meeting at Goa (India) during the XII ISAES;
  • general meeting and scientific session at the XXXIV SCAR OSC in Kulaa Lumpur, August 2016.

Both meetings were successful as the first important steps to widen knowledge of the EG existence and to begin rebuilding an Antarctic volcanic community. As a result of the two meetings, the group is now active, with more than 75 persons from more than dozen countries registering their interest.

At Catania, the first part of the meeting was dedicated to comprehensive reviews by selected experts to establish the current state of the art of knowledge of Antarctic volcanism. These presentations will be available to the whole scientific community, once we reconcile issues of confidentiality (images & information in several talks were unpublished and require protection). A dozen posters resulting from key volcanic research during recent years were also presented. The second part of the meeting involved ad hoc brainstorming in which all participants contributed ideas in order to (1) identify overarching key topics for future Antarctic volcanology; and (2) define and agree on common activities and possible deliverables, and identify necessary or advantageous interactions we might/should develop with other communities or institutions (e.g. National Programs, SCAR-SSG, IAATO etc). The organizational structure (e.g. group membership, steering committee, regional/national/discipline coordinators) was also briefly discussed.

At Goa about 20 people attended a short introductory meeting. The intention was to announce the formation of the group to the SCAR community in general. In addition to describing who we are and what the rationale is for our existence, a short report was also presented on the outcomes of the Catania meeting. A discussion followed in which we were encouraged to continue developing the group activity and to pursue interactions and links with other SCAR Expert/Action groups, Scientific Programs and with other institutions, such as IAVCEI.

A general meeting and a scientific session on “Antarctic volcanism in space & time – magmatic, tectonic and palaeoenvironmental aspects & linkages” was scheduled for the XXXIV SCAR Open Science Meeting of Kuala Lumpur (August 2016). The scientific session received 11 contributions.

Terms of Reference

The group aims to:

  • Promote the study of Antarctic volcanism and disperse information;
  • Discuss protocols, methods, best practices;
  • Integrate and share geological information;
  • Facilitate regional correlations (e.g. tephrochronology);
  • Compile, integrate and publish databases (e.g. outcrop maps, geochemistry);
  • Identify priorities, critical issues, future scientific directions;
  • Develop collaborations and international joint research projects;
  • Exchange data and ideas with other SCAR Scientific Programmes or Expert Groups;
  • Provide a clear route map for obtaining expert advice in case of volcanic crises, e.g. Deception Island, Mount Erebus, Mount Melbourne;
  • Develop productive links with related science disciplines (e.g. glaciology, biology, modelling).

News and Research Updates from the AntVolc Community.

Members

Contact

The Chair of AntVolc is Adelina Geyer Traver.

 

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee of the AntVolc group is currently:

Chair: Adelina Geyer CSIC Spain
Deputy Chair: Alessio Di Roberto INGV-Pisa Italy
Former Chair: John Smellie University of Leicester UK
Education and Outreach Max Van Wyk de Vries Univrsity of Minnesota USA
Members: Massimo Pompilio INGV-Pisa Italy
Nelia Dunbar NMT USA
Adam Martin GNS-Dunedin New Zealand
Kurt Panter Bowling Green State University USA
Don Blankenship UTexas at Austin USA
Jenn Cooper Cornell University USA

 

Membership is free and available to anybody with an interest in Antarctic volcanism, whether or not you are currently working in Antarctica. Please contact Adelina Geyer to join.

For more information, please visit the AntVolc website

 

Resources

Publications, Data and Links of interest to the Antarctic Volcanism Community

Book “Antarctic Volcanism: Explore the remotest volcanoes of the planet!”

Italian version:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7704404
Spanish version:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7690609
English version:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6535775

 

Publications
Data
Links