Three days of fieldwork have passed since my last post, and what a mixed few days it has been. Sunday morning we got up to our previous measurement location on the flanks and the photo on the right was our view...not ideal measurement conditions for measuring a plume...especially if you can't see it! When faced with conditions like this in the field there are two options; either stick it out and see if conditions clear up or give up and clamber back down the mountain. This is the inspiration for my mildly creative blog title, it being the third post in my fieldwork series, as so far everything has gone well. That being said, we waited for three hours in the cold, wet and windy conditions till eventually the clouds cleared and we had a perfect(ish) view of the summit. Patience paid off!

Rarely, rarely, rarely in a campaign do you get excellent data on the very first day you set out to make measurements. Today was one of those days. We set out with a goal to compare two different Ultra Violet (UV) camera systems, and on the first day it appears we have got the data to do this successfully. Although it is always good to gather more just to be sure!

We were up early in the morning at 6 am to drive to Piano Provenzana for a short 30 minute walk to a good vantage point of the North East Crater (NEC) of Etna. See picture on the right. A familiar crater which has featured on my blog before and has provided a location for some previously published work. The NEC is often chosen as a location for UV work due to the high amounts of Sulphur Dioxide it emits daily. In the summer it is also easily accessible has much more reliable weather than other nearby sources such as Stromboli. There is also the added benefit of good food, wine, and sun.

Below are a selection of pictures which I took during the day and my attempt at imaging some clouds over the summit of Etna last night. Unfortunately tomorrow it looks like a rainy and cloudy day on the summit, so it looks like it may be a day of data processing instead. 

It has been two years since my last visit to Sicily, and that is definitely too many. This year is a little bit different. It is the first time I head off to do research not directly related to my own PhD with the specific purpose of helping a first year PhD student (Tom Wilkes) with an exciting new gas remote sensing project. 

A late flight in to Palermo meant a stay at a B&B in nearby Terrasini. I must admit that I had no idea what this area was like at all, so a bit of a gamble. But the gamble paid off, that is, once we had navigated all the many one way systems which were incorrectly labelled on Google Maps. A short walk from our B&B and there is a square filled with different options for food and drink. A late dinner and then back to the B&B ready for the morning journey to Palermo to pick up equipment for the journey to Linguaglossa. 

The result to leave the EU will have come as a surprise to many. As an Early Career Scientist I was particularly hoping that the UK would vote to remain, and was resoundingly disappointed as I checked my phone at 4 am to see that the leave campaign were going to clinch it. I have worked hard over the past six years completing a Masters and PhD to get my feet on the bottom of a very competitive ladder. All of a sudden I saw this slipping away. How hard will it be for me to find a job in two years time? Will I have to abandon my desire for an academic career? Should I start looking now for alternatives? Over the weekend I have had time to contemplate, whilst I thoroughly disagree with the decision to leave the EU, I have come to the conclusion that it is much too soon to run into any rash decisions.

I have read a number of articles and the facts associated with the benefit of the EU to UK science are quite simple. The UK receives more from the EU in scientific funding than it pays in and has done very well out of being part of the EU. Freedom of movement for students, graduate students, post-docs and above within the EU allows EU individuals to travel and work within the majority of EU countries. UK science is strong and therefore is a commensurately strong draw for the most talented individuals from the EU. If you haven't yet seen this video by an EU Law Expert, Professor Dougan, then I urge you to, it is an eye opening, honest and factual account of what the UK gains from the EU (in general). He also gives his views on EU Immigration in this article. 

​The uncertainties surrounding Brexit are significantly more complex. I could go through a number of possible avenues, however, the future relationship of the UK with the EU is a complete unknown. Herein lies the problem, there is no plan. As a result of this uncertainty, UK science faces a period of uncertainty. With access to funding, scientists have more money for research, with access to the free market job positions can be filled by the very best candidates in the UK and EU. However, this also provides UK citizens with ability to study and research abroad. Over the years this has led to the development of a fantastic multi-cultural and highly productive scientific community, which needs to be retained.

In my own research all of my papers have been published and supported with the help of EU partners (and some specific European Research Council grants), specifically in Italy, although EU money supporting the work was not sourced within the UK. What does this mean? On the face of it, nothing. We will continue to work with our European colleagues, it will just be a bit more expensive for us to work abroad! Volcanology in particular is an area which requires significant international collaboration. Often when discussing my job with others I get the reply "But there are no [active] volcanoes in Britain". The UK volcanology community will therefore continue to collaborate internationally, within and without of the EU, regardless of what happens to our relationship with the EU. It is just a question of how difficult that will become. 

Until we know more on what the future relationship will be uncertainties will prevail over the next few years. I sincerely hope that this decision does not leave Early Career Scientists with a reduction in job prospects, not just in the UK, but throughout the EU. More than ever, we need to come together as a community, the decision has been made and we need to make it work for everyone. 

 Myself, along with a number of other authors in Sheffield, Lancaster, Palermo, and Florence have just published a paper in the journal Geophysical Research Letters called "Conduit dynamics and post explosion degassing on Stromboli: A combined UV camera and numerical modeling treatment". This paper is full Open Access which means that anyone can download and distribute the paper which is absolutely great! 

This work combines a large number of ultra violet camera based observations of sulphur dioxide release during and following strombolian explosions (which is called a gas flux trace) and smaller degassing events not necessarily associated with ejectiles (i.e. any magma release). Within the paper these are referred to as Vent 1 and Vent 2 events respectively. The benefit of collecting such a large number of gas flux traces is that any trends present or common characteristics between differing events can be compared. This allowed six flux trace types to be identified based on the patterns in gas release following the initial impulsive event associated with a strombolian explosion or smaller degassing event.

Following on from this, building on the work of Tamburello et al. (2012) who noticed that gas flux traces from strombolian explosions contained a coda (a period of elevated flux before a return to background levels), we were able to approximately separate out the distribution of gas mass into the initial impulsive gas release and the resultant coda. This allowed us to determine that a large proportion of the entire event (i.e. the initial release of gas added to the coda) could be contained within the coda - quite an interesting observation!

Alongside this work we performed a number of computational fluid dynamics simulations (using Ansys Fluent) of gas slug flow (Taylor bubble - see previous post). Over a range of parameters for the magma density, viscosity, and the conduit diameter we discovered that it was possible for the simulated gas slugs to shed gas bubbles, called "daughter bubbles", from the base of the slug at varying rates of efficiency. If these slugs were to rise over extended distances (simulations in the manuscript were over short distances in comparison to a full volcanic conduit) then significant mass could be lost from the slug into a daughter bubble train and contribute to the observed gas coda. There are of course other possibilities for the coda generation, however, daughter bubble could certainly play a role in determining how explosive an event may become and has wider implications for activity at other volcanoes.

This is the first study to combine gas flux measurements with computational fluid dynamics models. For full details you will of course have to read the paper! Associated videos are also available.

Last night I gave my Pint of Science talk in Sheffield and hopefully those who came learnt a thing or two about bubbles and their role in driving volcanic eruptions! My talk gave an overview of the range of activities that I study, from passive degassing through to lava fountaining, with a major focus on strombolian eruptions. In particular I discussed the role of volcanic gas slugs in generating such eruptions and some of the features which we have discovered during the course of my research at the University of Sheffield, including: past work at Etna which provided the first potential evidence for coalescence of gas slugs during volcanic activity, recent work just published in Geophysical Research Letters on the combination of gas measurements with computational models which demonstrated the possibility of daughter bubble production (the release of gas bubbles from the base of a slug) and that this could essentially cause slugs to destroy themselves (I will blog on this work soon), finally I introduced work I presented at AGU in 2014 which we are currently writing up for publication on laboratory and computational experiments conducted into multiple slug flow. 

The journey of Bob the Bubble proved to be a popular addition to my talk, raising a few chuckles (video below). Bob the Bubble illustrates the journey of a gas bubble from a magma chamber, through a conduit and the shape (morphology) transitions which may occur throughout ascent. As part of my talk I also performed a few short demonstration experiments (see photo) on the coalescence of smaller bubbles to make a cap bubble, through to an ascending slug. With the kind assistance of Tom Wilkes we even managed to demo a series of slug coalescence events which worked perfectly on the first try. This was rather fortuitous as it didn't really work during testing on the previous day! 

Dr Ed Daw of LIGO heritage spoke after my talk and gave some fascinating insights into the science and what it really took to detect gravity waves! He also hinted that further discoveries may be coming soon...

A very enjoyable event which it was a pleasure to be a part of. A big up to all the volunteers who made this event happen in Sheffield!

Over the past 3 years I have delved into a large variety of topics in varying arrays of detail. However, a major theme throughout my work has been the investigation into the fluid dynamics of bubbles, and in particular a feature known as a Taylor bubble (or gas slug) e.g.Wallis (1969) and Bendiksen, (1985). Increasing mass and/or volume of a bubble its shape will naturally change, from a spherical bubble (Wegener and Parlange, 1973) to one that may elongate or deform, through to a cap bubble and then the Taylor bubble. The Figure on the right hand side illustrates this nicely. One of the major activities driven by the Taylor bubble is strombolian volcanism, be it that related to single events (as at Stromboli) or more rapid events, as I have previously observed at Etna. 

The Taylor bubble has a number of predictable parameters, including: the distances between the wall and the Taylor bubble edge (termed the falling film), the rise speed of the base of the Taylor bubble, and certain lengths associated with the passage of the bubble - the wake and interaction lengths (Campos and Guedes de Carvalho, 1988). In addition there are a number of dimensionless numbers which help characterise the behaviour of a gas bubble within a fluid, e.g. Reynolds, Morton, Eotvos, and Weber numbers. Within volcanology one area of focus is on the determination of the masses of these Taylor bubbles (i.e. using ultra-violet cameras), which can then be used to work out final lengths and possible burst pressures of the bubbles. 

All of these parameters above require a set of distinct equations to calculate, which, can sometimes be difficult to locate. There are very few  (in fact I didn't find any) resources available online for the calculation of many of these parameters and their calculation often involves the loading up of software such as Matlab. It is for these reasons that I have created an online calculator to enable the calculation of a range of useful (to me and hopefully to others!) dimensionless numbers and Taylor bubble related features. This resource is available here, and for the moment I have called it the "Slug Calculator". It is currently split into two sections. The first "Dimensionless Numbers and Taylor Bubble Parameters" essentially allows the calculation of parameters related to the section title, while the second "Taylor Bubble Mass and Length Inputs/Results" uses pressure, temperature, mass and ratio values (of the common volcanic gases) to estimate a variety of potentially important Taylor Bubble parameters.

The calculator is a work in progress, so will be improved and altered as I notice errors or learn how to make improvements!

References

Bendiksen, K. H., 1985. On the motion of long bubbles in vertical tubes. International Journal of Multiphase Flow 11 (6), 797-812, doi:10.1016/0301-9322(85)90025-4
Campos, J. B. L. M., Guedes de Carvalho, J. R. F., 1988. An experimental study of the wake of gas slugs rising in liquids, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 196, 27-37, doi:10.1017/S0022112088002599
Pering, 2015. Bubbles in Basalts: Measuring and Modelling Basaltic Degassing. PhD Thesis, 2015. University of Sheffield.
Wallis, G. B., 1969. One-dimensional two-phase flow. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Wegener, P. P., Parlange, J. Y., 1973. Spherical-Cap Bubbles. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 5, 79-100. doi:10.1146/annurev.fl.05.010173.000455


​

This year Pint of Science is coming to Sheffield. ​I will be in esteemed company with Dr Ed Daw who will be talking about gravitational waves detected as part of the LIGO experiment in a combined event called Ripples and Bangs. I will of course be contributing the "Bangs" part of the event - where I will discuss my previous, ongoing and future research into the behaviour of bubbles at basaltic volcanoes.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the most spectacular phenomena we see on this planet. Through the medium of beer, I will explain the journey of the gas bubbles which drive these eruptions, from birth, to eruption at the surface. I will explore how we investigate these bubbles, by using state-of-the-art monitoring equipment to measure gas output and computer models to simulate gas flow. Fully unlocking the secrets of this journey is an essential future goal in volcanology, where any progress made will play a key part in aiding eruption forecasting.

This is a ticketed event on the 25th May 2016 in Bloo 88, tickets are available for purchase here.

As those will have ever attended EGU will testify - it is very very expensive. This year, I was only partially funded by my department (many thanks to them for the money that was provided!), so I tried in earnest to keep costs down. So here are a number of hopefully helpful tips:

• Plan ahead and well in advance where possible - this is something I failed miserably on. This will allow you to take advantage of low cost flights with EasyJet (from the UK) and also to pay the reduced fee for conference registration.
• If possible go with friends/colleagues from your department, this will help cut costs down looking for accommodation or enable a large group to share a flat from AirBnB.

The long awaited follow-up to "What if your supervisor was from Lord of the Rings", conveniently timed for the first episode of Season 6: Game of Thrones Academics. 

Professor Ned Stark - Possibly the most popular member of staff in the department. Specialises in the study of wolves and winter migration. However, is so bad with internal politics that when he upsets the balance of power he gets sacked. Academic Rating: 7/10.

Dr. Jon Snow - The youngest ever Head of Department, remarkably talented for his age. Over-estimates his ability to lead those many times his own age. Ends up leaving the academic career path abruptly. Followed in his Uncles footsteps studying the physics of large ice masses. Academic Rating: 5/10.

Dr. Melisandre - Not who she appears to be. A bit of a pyromaniac who loves studying fire, but may not be as good as she thinks she is. Liable to move around from University to University at will. Academic Rating: 4/10.

Dr. Tyrion Lannister - Don't let his size deceive you. Tyrion is perhaps the most intelligent scientist in the department, however, he prefers to spend his time drinking than actually working. A Historian presently working overseas. Academic Rating: 5/10.

Dr. Jaime Lannister (The Kingslayer) - Very good at his job and experienced when conducting field work. An unfortunate accident meant that he got lost in the field for a few years. Has no desire to advance his position. Academic Rating: 8/10.

Professor Cersei Lannister - A social scientist with lots of money, tends not to actually do any work, preferring to delegate to minions. Ideas are often deluded. Academic Rating: 4/10. 
​
Littlefinger - Works in an independent institution. His work is so clouded in mystery that no one is really sure of his true qualifications or what he actually studies. Has never been known to collaborate fully with anyone - liable to steal your work. Has dreams of becoming Pro Vice-Chancellor. Academic Rating: 3/10.

Dr. Davos Seaworth (The Onion Knight) - Didn't ever get round to completing an undergraduate degree, so struggled to gain the respect of his colleagues when awarded his PhD. But after many years has proven himself a worthy and fair academic. Specialises in the study of advanced farming techniques.  Academic Rating: 9/10.

Arya Stark - A Masters student who has a promising future if we she would follow the advice of her elders. Has shown an interest in advanced cosmetic surgery from an early stage. Academic Rating: 8/10.

​Dr. Daenerys Targaryen - Recently graduated PhD student who has delusions of grandeur. Specialises in political science. Has experience collaborating across a number of sectors. Has already sent ripples throughout the academic world championing Open Access science. Has a gift for languages which is highly valuable. Academic Rating: 8/10.

Disclaimer: The above descriptions are fictional. It is meant an amusing and general look at academic life which should not be taken seriously. Any resemblance to real people is a huge huge huge coincidence.