TOPOMOD

Subtopic ESR 7: Exploring the topography time scale in volcanic rifts

Project duration: 2011-2015
European Funding, Marie Curie Network
PI: Thomas R. Walter (GFZ), Valerio Acocella (Roma TRE).

TOPOMOD is a training project designed for a team of early-stage and experienced researchers to investigate and model the origin and evolution of topography of the continents over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. TOPOMOD will carry out 15 cross-disciplinary research projects in well-chosen key areas from the Mediterranean, the Middle and Far East, west Africa, and South America, with new developments in structural geology, geomorphology, seismology, geochemistry, InSAR, laboratory and numerical modeling of deep mantle to surface process. TOPOMOD involves 9 European research teams, 3 high-technology enterprises, and 1 large multinational oil and gas company. TOPOMOD will provide to 13 early-stage researchers and 2 experienced researchers.
TOPOMOD Subproject ESR 7: Exploring the topography time scale in volcanic rifts. Stripmap SAR data analysis and interferometric processing will allow locating zones of active deformation, and isolate those and their sources within analytical optimization routines, however linkage between this short time analysis and the longer time scale deformation and magmatism is lacking. The aim of this project is to explore the time dependence of topography in magmatically and tectonically active rift systems by combined radar interferometry (InSAR), elastic dislocation and experimental modelling. In particular, through spatial correlations of the deformation areas and their sources (e.g. magma intrusions) the links of the short-term to the long-term established topography (e.g. rift valley) will be explored. Experimental modelling will allow including such sources and identify similarities and differences to the observable topography, which may be affected by shallow mass mobilization or hitherto not appreciated time-dependent mechanisms.
For more details see http://www.topomod.eu/