TEMPO- Revealing volcano-tectonic processes byintegrating multi-temporal and spatial deformation analysis

Volcano-tectonic processes are recurrent, cover broad time scales from a few days to hundreds of years and often involve reactivation of pre-existing structures. However, their current understanding is still limited due to a lack of integrated strategies covering multi temporal and spatial scales. TEMPO is addressing this challenge by studying divergent plate boundaries and large basaltic volcanoes subject to recurring magma injections and flank collapses, from single events to multi-decadal deformation analysis, integrating several remote sensing platforms, structural geology and analogue modelling.

TEMPO is built around two main research axes that focus on the deformation at the Earth's surface and conjointly to understand the subsurface magma/fluid and faulting processes. In the first research axis we study the recurrences of volcano-tectonic events by analysing the active Koa'e fault system (Kilauea volcano, Hawaii) and by extending the period of observation up to 70 years using air photo correlation technique from 1950's. These data are integrated with field structural observations and geophysical data to better constrain the evolution of the fault system. The aim of the second research axis is to extend the picture of volcano-tectonic processes from the surface down to crustal depths, by determining the role of fault reactivation during magma/fluid propagation, a key parameter for resolving how and where magma is propagating and also better forecasting volcanic eruption locations. Structural field observations will focus on active divergent plate boundary in Iceland looking at the kinematics of rift fault systems using UAVs (e.g. in the Sveinadgjà area). This will be complemented by the study of fossil rift zones in Oman that are deeply eroded, collecting deformation data at different crustal levels. We will then use 3D analogue experiments to study fluid migration and faulting under different stress conditions to analyse magma propagation pathways in pre-faulted media.

TEMPO integrates multiple methods dedicated to study volcano-tectonic processes over different temporal and spatial scales, from the surface down to crustal depths and aims to contribute to better forecasts future recurrent large eruptions at divergent plate boundaries and at large unstable volcanoes.