Research project: Volcanic edifice collapse: processes, timing, and impact on volcano evolution
Volcanic flank collapses produce some of the largest landslides known on Earth. They pose a range of hazards, being potentially associated with explosive eruptions, and also capable of generating large tsunamis in the case of island or coastal volcanoes. The processes that determine the magnitude and frequency of flank collapses, and the relative timing of collapses in the evolution of individual volcanoes, are poorly understood. Ongoing work in Montserrat, Mexico and southern Chile aims to improve our understanding of these events.