Petrologie van de Nyamulagira vulkaan (Virungagebergte, Oost-Afrikaanse Slenk)

The Nyamulagira volcano (DR Congo) represents one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and is a real threat to the densely populated city of Goma. However, very little is known about the petrology of the volcano. Better understanding sub-volcanic processes is however essential to rigorously monitor the activity of the volcano and to predict realistic paths for future eruptions. In this PhD project, we propose a research plan combining (1) a petrological study of historic lavas of Nyamulagira. This will be used to assess the conditions of magma formation beneath the volcano; (2) the use of photogrammetric techniques to estimate the volumes of individual eruptive events; (3) a detailed modelling of lava's properties to estimate the probability of lava flow inundation of inhabited areas. Overall our project will allow producing a hazard map for the volcano that will be communicated to the local population. This project will also train a Congolese student to become a petrologist, a skill currently absent at the Goma Volcano Observatory.