When and how will a volcano will erupt in the future? Say…Mount Baker (a very high-threat volcano in Washington State)?

Volcanic eruptions are fueled by the magmas stored beneath the surface, so if we want to better prepare, we have to dig deep (literally). In this talk, we will explore “how to think like a volcano” by looking closely at how ‘magma factories’ operate. 

When a magma cools and solidifies, it can form crystals that can sometimes preserve zones like the rings of a tree. Zoning patterns can therefore record the changing magmatic environment, including temperature changes, physical interactions between magmas, and time.

Using crystal cargo in erupted material, we will address:

• What causes magmas to escape the crust and erupt on the surface?
• How long does it take for magma to exit the crust?
• Can we improve our “stopwatches” between the moment volcanic unrest is detected, and the moment we need to respond to an impending eruption?

We’ll take a close look at the Cascade volcanoes in our very own backyard, zooming in on the active Mount Baker in WA state. 

Dr. Hannah Shamloo works at Central Washington University as an Assistant Professor where she has taught igneous petrology, geochemistry, volcanology, and science communication for the past 5 years. Her research is on both active and extinct volcanic systems in Washington state and beyond. She is originally from the Midwest where the corn is aplenty and the volcanoes nonexistent. She is currently loving her volcanic life in the PNW alongside her husband and mini blue heeler dog, Fuji.