Research interests
Physical volcanology - igneous petrology - geophysical flows
Triggers of explosive volcanic eruptions
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The Las Cañadas volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands, generated at least seven major explosive eruptions during the Quaternary Period. Currently we working on the resulting ignimbrite deposits, exposed in the Bandas del Sur region, trying to piece together evidence on how the eruptions were triggered. Detailed petrological and geochemical analysis of their deposits has allowed us to reconstruct the triggering mechanisms of several devastating volcanic eruptions on Tenerife.
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Stock, M.J., Taylor, R.N. & Gernon, T.M. Triggering of major eruptions recorded by actively forming cumulates. Nature Scientific Reports 2, 731; doi: 10.1038/srep00731 (2012).
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Magma-coated pyroclasts formed in explosive eruptions
Schematic diagram of a diatreme showing how pelletal lapilli are formed
One of the sites used in this study
Magma-coated pyroclasts formed in explosive eruptions
​Origin of magmatic pyroclasts
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Kimberlite volcanoes, the primary source of diamonds, contain pelletal lapilli (left) – enigmatic magma-coated clasts. Gernon et al. (2012) suggest these form by spray granulation when gas-rich melts intrude into the volcanic root zone. Analogous processes are utilized in the manufacture of chocolates, drugs and fertilizers.
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More on kimberlite research​
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Gernon, T.M., Brown, R.J., Tait, M.A. & Hincks, T.K., 2012. The origin of pelletal lapilli in explosive kimberlite eruptions. Nature Communications, 3 (832), p.1-7, doi: 10.1038/ncomms1842
Snap Lake Diamond Mine, NWT, Arctic Canada
Snap Lake Diamond Mine, NWT, Arctic Canada
Physical geology of high-level kimberlite intrusions
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These papers describe the physical geology of a unique kimberlite orebody, developed as a diamond mine in 2008 at a cost of $1.5 billion. The findings have major implications for economic forecasting on the mine, as well as informing day-to-day mining practices. Exceptional underground exposures at Snap Lake have allowed us to describe the geology of a sub-volcanic intrusion in unprecedented detail.
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Gernon, T.M., Field, M. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2012. Geology of the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, NW Territories, Canada: Field observations and their interpretation. Journal of the Geological Society, 169 (1), p.1-16, doi: 10.1144/0016-76492011-056​
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Field, M., Gernon, T.M., Mock, A., Walters, A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Jerram, D.A., 2009. Variations of olivine abundance and grain size in the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, Northwest Territories Canada: A possible proxy for diamonds. Lithos, 112 (S1), p.23-35, doi: 10.1016/j.lithos.2009.04.019
Recent pyroclastic flow deposits
Eruption of the South Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
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Using high-resolution geophysical data and analysis of submarine deposits, we present new evidence for sector collapses of the South Soufrière Hills edifice, Montserrat during the mid-Pleistocene. Such large-scale slope failures pose a major potential hazard (e.g. tsunami) and can significantly alter the morphology of volcanic islands such as Montserrat.
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Cassidy, M., Trofimovs, J.,Watt, S.F.L., Palmer, M.R., Taylor, R.N., Gernon, T.M., Talling, P. & Le Friant, A., 2012, in press. Multi-stage collapse events in the South Soufrière Hills, Montserrat as recorded in marine sediment cores. In: Wadge, G., Robertson, R. & Voight, B. (eds.) The Eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat from 2000 to 2010. Geological Society of London, Memoirs.