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Numerical modelling: a useful tool to simulate collapsing volcanoes
Author(s) -
Pouget Solène,
Davies Tim,
Kennedy Ben,
Kelfoun Karim,
Leyrit Hervé
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
geology today
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.188
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1365-2451
pISSN - 0266-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2012.00820.x
Subject(s) - geology , volcano , context (archaeology) , numerical models , debris , scale (ratio) , numerical modeling , natural (archaeology) , seismology , earth science , geophysics , paleontology , cartography , geography , oceanography
Since the nineteenth century scientists have tried to reproduce natural events in order to study and understand them through the technique of modelling. However, technology has evolved rapidly in the past two decades and now sophisticated numerical models are widely used to reproduce past events or simulate new scenarios. These models are particularly useful to reproduce the large scale and complexity of geological events. To illustrate the use and potential of numerical modelling in geological sciences, we describe a simulation of a large debris avalanche caused by the collapse of the north flank of the Taranaki volcano in New Zealand and the value of this information in the context of disaster planning.