9503613 Devine This Americas Program award will support a research collaboration between Dr. Joseph Devine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and Dr. William Ambeh, Seismic Research Unit, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. The objective of the proposed research is to apply recently developed petrologic methods of volcanic hazard assessment to active volcanoes on the islands of Montserrat and Nevis, located in the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. The researchers aim to identify mechanisms influencing past eruptions by using new methods to calculate the ascent times of volcanic eruptive products from magma reservoirs to the surface. Estimates of past magma rise times, combined with present-day seismic and ground deformation data, could shed light on past volcano kinetics and could provide some potentially valuable information about past eruptions. Additionally the project offers the opportunity for U.S. scientists to test the feasibility of applying models developed during the Mt. St. Helens eruption. Besides improving our knowledge of magma flows inside volcanoes, this project is likely to have an impact on volcano hazard assessment for the islands of the Lesser Antilles. ***
