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April 2018 |
Erupting at least 14 times since it was first discovered in 1939, the submarine (underwater) volcano located just 8km north of Grenada, is perhaps the most active volcano in the Eastern Caribbean. It is no wonder that public concern over Kick-‘em-Jenny is consistently intense. Judging from interactions on the SRC’s social media platforms during periods of volcanic unrest, the public appears to be both fearful of and fascinated by this underwater phenomenon, with concerns ranging from ejected material at the sea surface, sinking ships and tsunamis. While the primary role of the SRC is to monitor and provide scientific advice on Kick-’em-Jenny, the Centre supports local disaster management agencies’ efforts to satisfy the public’s insatiable appetite for information on the volcano through its education and outreach programme. It is a sound illustration of the importance of applied research and the social impact of academic and research institutions such as The UWI. The UWI SRC currently operates the largest geophysical monitoring network in the Caribbean, generating data used in ongoing research to provide planners, disaster management practitioners, engineers and other stakeholders with tools for their short and long-term decision-making. Scientists from the SRC regularly collaborate with other institutions to conduct impactful research on issues of seismic and geologic relevance to our region. Volcanologists at the SRC teamed up with scientists at Imperial College London, Southampton and Liverpool Universities to survey Kick-’em-Jenny immediately following an eruption in April 2017. Using ship-based imaging technology, the team was able to survey the volcano, observing gas coming from the central cone . The data was then combined with previous surveys going back more than 30 years to reveal the long-term pattern of activity. The survey was unique in that it immediately followed an eruption and provided unprecedented data on what Kick-’em-Jenny volcano looks like soon after an eruption. The research, recently published in the journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, provides new insight into the little-studied world of underwater volcanoes. “The results of this collaborative research project enable us to better quantify our existing model of this volcano and help in developing strategies for managing future eruptions,” noted Director of The UWI SRC, Prof. Richard Robertson. In addition to conducting research, the UWI SRC currently provides a national seismological and volcanological service for contributing territories in the Eastern Caribbean, as well as support for tsunami warning and public education and awareness on geologic hazards. Although the outcome of Kick-‘em-Jenny’s recent episode remains to be seen – at the time of writing, activity at the volcano had slowed – The UWI SRC is well poised to provide its stakeholders with the necessary information to reduce the risk to lives and livelihoods.
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