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A technical user manual for volcanic ash dispersion modelling using python-FALL3D.

In an unpublished report Taylor (1955) suggested that both tectonic earthquakes and volcanic activity are related to prevailing conditions of regional stress. The diagnostic value of this relationship lies in the fact that abnormal stress conditions make their presence known first by tectonic earthquakes and later by volcanic eruption. This theory was developed as a result of intensive research following upon study of the new Hebrides volcanic arc and recent volcanism. Bougainville Island, with a deep trough (Planet Deep) situated west of and orientated parallel to its line of volcanoes, exhibits a similar structural pattern to the New Mebride4s Islands and it was considered by Taylor that the relationship between tectonic earthquakes and volcanic eruptions might also apply here. As a possible means of diagnosis an analysis of earthquakes and volcanic activity in the Bougainville area was undertaken to discover whether a positive relationship existed fro Mt. Bagana, and if so, whether there were indications of impending eruption of the Lake Loloru Crater.

Mount Langla is one of a group of volcanoes which lies on the western end of the island of New Britain. The 3,800 feet cone is on the eastern flank of the ancient volcano, Mount Talawe and is almost due south of the wartime Gloucester airstrip. The original report concerning the signs of increasing activity was made by Father McSweeney of the Kalingi Catholic Mission. Father McSweeney was returning from a trip along the north coast on 12th May, when he noticed condensed steam rising from a new location on the summit of Mount Langla. On a visit to Borgen Bay on 30th May he saw gas bubbles in the sea close to the shoreline adjacent to the small conical hill which lies on the western side of the Bay. At the request of the Government Secretary the writer left Popondetta and flew to Lae on 18th June, and left by trawler the same day to arrive at Kalingi on 20th June. An inspection of the volcano confirmed the recent nature of the increase in gas emission and revealed a number of phenomena which are usually identified as pre-eruption conditions.

This report provides a summary of volcanic activity in the volcanic centres of New Guinea for the year 1951. Extended descriptions are given of ongoing investigations and the volcanological observations made at Rabaul, Mt. Lamington, and other significant volcanoes.

Four days were spent in the area, observations being severely limited, firstly by lack of knowledge, on the part of the observer, of overall topography such as could be obtained from aerial photos or viewing the area from an aircraft and secondly by the dense fog which covered the area for the greater portion of the time spent there. Captain Fox of Q.E.A. had previously informed me that during the aerial inspection made by Mr. G.A. Taylor, three areas of "burnt" ground had been observed. Mr. Jones during his stay in the area had located two of those and in addition, two more minor areas. During my stay in the area those fumarolic areas were inspected and in addition, the third area located and inspected. The three major areas shall be referred to as the lower, middle and upper fumarolic areas.

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The region described here lies inland from the coastal towns of Cairns and Townsville in North Queensland, and extends west 250 miles to Croydon: it is rectangular and has an area of about 37,000 square miles (PI. 38). The map area extends from longitude 145° 30' E. to longitude 142° 10' E.: the most northerly point is at latitude 16° 20' S. and the southern boundary is along latitude 20 00' S. It includes the whole of the Clarke River, Georgetown, Einasleigh, and Atherton 1: 250,000 Sheet areas, and parts of the Mossman, Normanton, Red River, Croydon, and Gilberton Sheet areas. The first geologists visited the area about 1870 after the discovery of economic deposits of gold and later of tin, copper, tungsten, and silver-lead. Most of the early geological mapping was carried out in the mineral fields, although a few syntheses of the regional geology were made. In 1956, a combined party of the Bureau of Mineral Resources and the Geological Survey of Queensland commenced mapping on the Georgetown, Einasleigh, Gilberton, Clarke River, and Atherton 1: 250,000 Sheet areas, under the leadership of D.A. White (BMR). This survey continued each year and by 1963 had extended north to the Cooktown/Cape Melville area. I was a member of the survey in North Queensland from 1957 to 1963.

Recent field observations have identified the widespread occurrence of fluid seepage through the eastern Mediterranean Sea floor in association with mud volcanism or along deep faults. Gas hydrates and methane seeps are frequently found in cold seep areas and were anticipated targets of the MEDINAUT/MEDINETH initiatives. The study presented herein has utilized a multi-disciplinary approach incorporating observations and sampling of visually selected sites by the manned submersible Nautile and by ship-based sediment coring and geophysical surveys. The study focuses on the biogeochemical and ecological processes and conditions related to methane seepage, especially the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), associated with ascending fluids on Kazan mud volcano in the eastern Mediterranean. Sampling of adjacent box cores for studies on the microbiology, biomarkers, pore water and solid phase geochemistry allowed us to integrate different biogeochemical data within a spatially highly heterogeneous system. Geophysical results clearly indicate the spatial heterogeneity of mud volcano environments. Results from pore water geochemistry and modeling efforts indicate that the rate of AOM is 6 mol m-2 year-1, which is lower than at active seep sites associated with conditions of focused flow, but greater than diffusion-dominated sites. Furthermore, under the non-focused flow conditions at Kazan mud volcano advective flow velocities are of the order of a few centimeters per year and gas hydrate formation is predicted to occur at a sediment depth of about 2 m and below. The methane flux through these sediments supports a large and diverse community of micro- and macrobiota, as demonstrated by carbon isotopic measurements on bulk organic matter, authigenic carbonates, specific biomarker compounds, and macrofaunal tissues...

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