We are studying the pathways that magma takes from the mantle to the surface using a theoretical and observational approach.
Our current projects include:
1) Surveying the hundreds of volcanoes in the central and southern Andes for deformation, thermal anomalies, and seismic activity (funded by NASA New Investigator Proposal -- see top image). To date we have found more than 13 previously unknown areas of active uplift or subsidence in volcanic areas of Kamchatka and Latin America (Fournier et al., 2010; Pritchard & Simons, 2002, 2004a, 2004b, 2004c).
2) The PLUTONS project. Field geophysical and geochemical studies in areas of presumed mid-crustal magmatic intrusion (with collaborators in Bolivia, Chile, U. Bristol, U. Alaska, Montana State, UC Santa Cruz, Oregon State, and U. Alberta), funded by NSF Continental Dynamics grant and U.K. NERC grant (Sparks et al., 2008).
3) Developing self-consistent finite element models of magma movements that account for thermal perturbations of the magma, potential phase changes, and include a visco-elastic medium.
4) Characterizing the global patterns of volcano deformation compiled here and understanding the regional differences in volcano deformation outlined in Fournier et al., 2010. For example, only a few deforming volcanoes are found in the northern Andes, the Caribbean, Central America and Kamchatka, in contradiction to the high level of eruptive activity in these regions.
5) Constraining the location of magma and geothermal resources in the Basin and Range Province of the Western U.S. (like the Socorro magma body: Finnegan & Pritchard, 2009) and northern Mexico (funded by NSF CAREER proposal).
Publications:
T. J. Fournier, M. E. Pritchard, and S. N. Riddick (2010) The duration, magnitude, and frequency of subaerial volcano deformation events: New InSAR results from Latin America and a global synthesis, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 11, Q01003, doi:10.1029/2009GC002558, [Link to AGU Page]
Finnegan, N. J., and M. E. Pritchard (2009) Magnitude and duration of surface uplift above the Socorro magma body, Geology, 37, 231-234. [Link to GSA Page]
Sparks, R. S. J., C. B. Foulkes, M. C. S. Humphreys, D. Barford, J. Clavero, S. Mayel, S. R. McNutt, and M. E. Pritchard (2008) Uturuncu volcano, Bolivia: Volcanic unrest due to a mid-crustal magma instrusion, American Journal of Science, 308, 727-769. [PDF Reprint]
Pritchard, M. E., A. M. Rubin, and C. J. Wolfe (2007) Do flexural stresses explain the mantle fault zone beneath Kilauea, Hawaii?, Geophys. J. Int., 168, 419-430. [PDF Reprint].
Pritchard, M. E. and M. Simons (2004) An InSAR-based survey of volcanic deformation in the southern Andes. Geophys . Res. Lett. 31, doi:10.1029/2004GL020545 [Link to AGU Page]. Supplemental information available as a PDF.
Pritchard, M. E. and M. Simons (2004) Surveying volcanic arcs with satellite radar interferometry: The central Andes, Kamchatka, and beyond. GSA Today 14, 4-10 [PDF Reprint]. Supplemental information available as a PDF.
Pritchard, M. E. and M. Simons (2004) An InSAR-based survey of volcanic deformation in the central Andes. Geochem. Geophys. Geosys. 5, 10.1029/2003GC000610. [PDF Reprint]
Pritchard, M. E., M. Simons (2002) A satellite geodetic survey of large-scale deformation of volcanic centres in the central Andes. Nature 418, 167-171. [PDF Reprint]