Memorial Award Recipient - Liam Bramwell
Congratulations to Liam Bramwell, one of three successful recipients of the Memorial Award this year.
Drumbeat Seismicity at Mt Ruapehu Investigated with Gas Geochemistry and Te Wai-ā-moe Crater Lake Temperatures
Liam Bramwell - MSc research
Supervisors: Dr Finnigan Illsley-Kemp (Victoria University of Wellington) and Dr Ery Hughes (GNS Science)
Mt Ruapehu’s Volcanic Alert Level was raised to Level 2 earlier this year on March 21st following strong volcanic tremor, increases in gas plume emissions, and the initiation of a new heating phase at Te Wai-ā-moe crater lake. Over the last 135 years Mt Ruapehu has experienced more than 100 eruptive events of various sizes which, in some cases, caused debris explosions up to two kilometers from the crater lake, ash fall over most of the North Island, and numerous high-velocity mud and debris flows. My research will examine specific forms of seismicity never before studied in New Zealand called “drumbeat” earthquakes. These are repetitive, highly periodic earthquakes that have been observed around the world to, in some instances, precede a volcanic eruption as they occur when ascending magma is degassing. I will also integrate gas chemistry and Te Wai-ā-moe crater lake temperature data to further quantify the existence of a changing magmatic source beneath Ruapehu. By synthesising this data, I aim to determine an evolving magma source mechanism during Ruapehu’s recent unrest, map the mountain’s subsurface magmatic system, and improve seismic and volcanic activity forecasting in New Zealand through my collaboration with GNS Science.
THE PROJECT TONGARIRO MEMORIAL AWARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SOCIETY IN MEMORY OF KEITH MAURICE BLUMHARDT, WILLIAM EDWARD COOPER, DOUGLAS NEAL MCKENZIE, DEREK IAN WHITE AND MARIE PAULINE WILLIAMS, WHO DIED ON MT RUAPEHU WHILE TESTING HELICOPTER RESCUE EQUIPMENT ON 9 DECEMBER 1982.
The award is open to any applicant for study—for fauna, flora, geology, volcanology, meteorology, natural and human history of Tongariro National Park and World Heritage Site.