Eruption or Catastrophe: Learning to Implement Preparedness for future Supervolcano Eruptions

The world's youngest supereruption occurred in the North Island of New Zealand, beneath the present day Lake Taupō, and a future eruption from Taupō could prove catastrophic for New Zealand society. Despite this, very little is known about the present day state of the Taupō magma storage system. The MBIE (NZ Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) funded ECLIPSE research programme aims to tackle this uncertainty with a multidisciplinary approach towards a better understanding of the Taupō volcanic system. A key component of this is the seismological imaging of the magma system at Taupō. The requested seismic experiment will enable the first direct imaging of the magma system through ambient noise techniques. In addition, the proposed network will allow the accurate location of microseismicity and a greater understanding of how magma and fluids migrate in the magma plumbing system.