Department of Geology, University of Otago, PhD

Investigation of a preserved volcanic vent complex in the Coombs Hills, south Victoria Land

For effective eruption predictions, we need to understand how volcanoes work, and particularly the internal processes involved. As monitoring of active volcanoes relies strongly on remote sensing, the processes taking place in vents during eruptions are not well known, especially for those involving discontinuous eruptions and intermittent ejection of material. Detailed field studies of debris-filled vents, within partially eroded volcanoes, can therefore lead to a better understanding of the eruptive process. Such vents have been identified in the Coombs Hills of southern Victoria Land, and are the subject of this study.

Publications

Reubi,  O., Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L. Debris avalanche deposits associated with large igneous province volcanism: an example from the Mawson Formation, central Allan Hills, Antarctica. Geological Society of America bulletin 117(11/12): 1615-1628 2005.

Ross, P.-S. Volcanology of the Mawson Formation at Coombs and Allan Hills, South Victoria Land, Antarctica. PhD thesis, University of Otago. 2005.

Ross, P.- S. White, J. D. L. Discontinuous volcanic eruptions in a phreatomagmatic vent complex: Coombs Hills, South Victoria Land. Canadian Antarctic Research Network newsletter 16: 4-6, 2003.

Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L. Mafic, large-volume, pyroclastic density current deposits from phreatomagmatic eruptions in the Ferrar large igneous province. Journal of geology 113: 627-649 2005.

Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L. Unusually large clastic dykes formed by elutriation of a poorly sorted, coarser-grained source. Journal of the Geological Society of London 162: 579-582 2005.

Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L. Debris jets in continental phreatomagmatic volcanoes: A field study of their subterranean deposits in the Coombs Hills vent complex, Antarctica. Journal of volcanology and geothermal research 149(1-2): 62-84 2006. 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2005.06.007

Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L., McClintock,  M. Geological evolution of the Coombs-Allan Hills area, Ferrar large igneous province, Antarctica: Debris avalanches, mafic pyroclastic density currents, phreatocauldrons. Journal of volcanology and geothermal research 172: 38-60 2008.

Ross,  P.-S., White,  J.D.L., Reubi,  O. Ferrar large igneous province rocks at Allan Hills, South Victoria Land. Canadian Antarctic research network newsletter 21: 8-10 2006.

Ross,  P.-S., Ukstins Peate,  I., McClintock,  M.K., Xu,  Y.G., Skilling, I.P., White,  J.D.L., Houghton,  B.F. Mafic volcaniclastic deposits in flood basalt provinces: A review. Journal of volcanology and geothermal research 145: 281-314 2005.