Developing a new platform for assessing volcano hazard through analysis of globally acquired monitoring data

In their fight to mitigate the threats of volcanic eruptions, volcanological observatories and research institutions must process and interpret an increasing amount of monitoring data in order to make timely decisions when advising authorities, civil protection agencies and other stakeholders. This project aims at closing the gap between increasing monitoring capacity and lacking interpretation capability by testing existing, and further developing automated computer algorithms to formulat a generalised and standardised model of volcano-seismic unrest. This project will combine many datasets recorded at volcanoes in different geological settings with different types of volcanic activity in a holistic approach, resulting in the first unified model that classifies volcano-seismic events, allowing us to identify common patterns across volcanoes, and linking certain seismic event types to specific volcanic processes. New approaches in data processing will have to be developed to overcome this challenge. This project will achieve impact by developing and disseminating open-source tools, complemented by associated training courses. At the scale of a single observatory, this will ensure automation and consistent interpretation, while at a larger scale, this project will boost our understanding of volcanic processes and our ability to forecasting eruption style and size, and therefore better mitigate their impact. This project is in line with international initiatives underwritten by the IAVCEI Commission for Volcano Seismology and Acoustics and the World Organisation of Volcano Observatories.