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December 2008
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With 50 – 70 active volcanoes erupting annually across the globe,
including the unique Soufrière Hills of Montserrat, it is not surprising
that research in this area has been growing. UWI graduate student,
Erouscilla Joseph, who was awarded a PhD in Volcanology by The
University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus in September,
is testimony to this. History in the making - she has been awarded the
first degree of its kind by the UWI. She is also the first PhD student
to graduate from the seismic Research Centre.
In
2001 the Seismic Research Centre (SRC) initiated a geothermal monitoring
programme, as part of an integrated volcanic monitoring programme.
Instituted to geochemically characterize hydrothermal systems associated
with volcanoes of the Lesser Antilles, the programme also established
baseline levels of activity from which changes in volcanic activity can
be detected. Ms. Joseph was intimately involved in the geothermal
monitoring efforts and chose to conduct the research as a PhD project in
2003. The PhD thesis examined the “Geochemistry of Geothermal Systems
in Saint Lucia and Dominica, Lesser Antilles: Implications for Volcanic
Monitoring”.
 This was the basis for the SRC to officially launch an MPhil and PhD
programme in Volcanology, registered under the administration of the
Centre.
The results of geothermal monitoring in the islands of Saint Lucia and
Dominica have successfully demonstrated that it is a valuable tool that
can be utilized with other volcano monitoring techniques (seismicity and
ground deformation). The information it provided has given insight into
changes in temperature and mineralogy of hydrothermal fluids associated
with volcanic systems that can provide scientists with precursory
indicators of magmatic inputs.
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